By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 08:01 EST, 10 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:52 EST, 10 September 2013 . Angry: Film blogger Alex Billington called 911 when an audience member would not stop using his phone during a movie . A film critic became so enraged at a fellow moviegoer using his cellphone during a screening yesterday that he called 911. Alex Billington, a leading blogger who founded FirstShowing.net, claims he was worried that a man who was using his phone non-stop for 10 minutes was trying to record the film. But some have accused him of wasting the police's time by using the emergency number to report such a trivial matter. The incident occurred on Monday during a screening of new thriller The Sacrament during the Toronto International Film Festival. The screening was attended by film critics and industry workers, meaning that electronic devices were permitted to enable journalists to take notes. A member of the audience sitting in the front row of the cinema was apparently using his phone to send texts and emails throughout the opening of the movie, angering Mr Billington. After theatre staff told him they were powerless to intervene, the blogger dialled 911 to warn that the man could be pirating the film, which is due to be released in the U.S. later this year. However, the emergency dispatcher simply laughed at him, while cinema employees suggested he should return for a public screening where phones are not allowed. Mr Billington subsequently took to Twitter to launch a furious tirade against the use of cellphones during movies. 'I was afraid this would reach a head and this is it,' he wrote. 'They claim nothing can be done to "change the policy" in 2013 because it's allowed.' Defence: The blogger quoted Steve Jobs as he defended his over-the-top reaction to the etiquette breach . While . some other prominent film bloggers stood up for him, he also faced a . backlash from people who suggested that he should not have involved the . police in the matter. Scott Weinberg tweeted: '911 is for emergencies, you embarrassingly unprofessional attention-starved stooge.' Peter Sciretta added: 'Dude, I agree they shouldn't be on their phones but 911 is for serious emergencies only.' Mr Billington fiercely defended himself, . writing: 'If it's wrong to report potential piracy to authorities, then . how will piracy ever be stopped. If it's not taken seriously, it will . remain.' Film: Mr Billington was attending a screening of The Sacrament, whose creators are pictured here at the Venice film festival . He later struck a more extravagant tone, quoting Steve Jobs to say: 'You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things.' The critic told Buzzfeed that he had not overreacted, and insisted he was highlighting a serious issue. 'I thought I might be witnessing an act of piracy, a major crime being committed, and wished to report it to the proper authorities,' he said. 'The call made was to report an act of piracy in progress, a major crime that many signs around TIFF remind people is a punishable offense. I simply requested that an officer confront and confirm that he was not pirating.'
Founder of FirstShowing.net was watching The Sacrament in Toronto .
Complained to staff about audience member using phone but was ignored .
So he called 911 and claimed the man could be trying to pirate the film .
By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 08:01 EST, 10 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:52 EST, 10 September 2013 . Angry: Film blogger Alex Billington called 911 when an audience member would not stop using his phone during a movie . A film critic became so enraged at a fellow moviegoer using his cellphone during a screening yesterday that he called 911. Alex Billington, a leading blogger who founded FirstShowing.net, claims he was worried that a man who was using his phone non-stop for 10 minutes was trying to record the film. But some have accused him of wasting the police's time by using the emergency number to report such a trivial matter. The incident occurred on Monday during a screening of new thriller The Sacrament during the Toronto International Film Festival. The screening was attended by film critics and industry workers, meaning that electronic devices were permitted to enable journalists to take notes. A member of the audience sitting in the front row of the cinema was apparently using his phone to send texts and emails throughout the opening of the movie, angering Mr Billington. After theatre staff told him they were powerless to intervene, the blogger dialled 911 to warn that the man could be pirating the film, which is due to be released in the U.S. later this year. However, the emergency dispatcher simply laughed at him, while cinema employees suggested he should return for a public screening where phones are not allowed. Mr Billington subsequently took to Twitter to launch a furious tirade against the use of cellphones during movies. 'I was afraid this would reach a head and this is it,' he wrote. 'They claim nothing can be done to "change the policy" in 2013 because it's allowed.' Defence: The blogger quoted Steve Jobs as he defended his over-the-top reaction to the etiquette breach . While . some other prominent film bloggers stood up for him, he also faced a . backlash from people who suggested that he should not have involved the . police in the matter. Scott Weinberg tweeted: '911 is for emergencies, you embarrassingly unprofessional attention-starved stooge.' Peter Sciretta added: 'Dude, I agree they shouldn't be on their phones but 911 is for serious emergencies only.' Mr Billington fiercely defended himself, . writing: 'If it's wrong to report potential piracy to authorities, then . how will piracy ever be stopped. If it's not taken seriously, it will . remain.' Film: Mr Billington was attending a screening of The Sacrament, whose creators are pictured here at the Venice film festival . He later struck a more extravagant tone, quoting Steve Jobs to say: 'You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things.' The critic told Buzzfeed that he had not overreacted, and insisted he was highlighting a serious issue. 'I thought I might be witnessing an act of piracy, a major crime being committed, and wished to report it to the proper authorities,' he said. 'The call made was to report an act of piracy in progress, a major crime that many signs around TIFF remind people is a punishable offense. I simply requested that an officer confront and confirm that he was not pirating.'
Billington called 911 when an audience member yesterday that he called 911. Alex Billington, a new thriller The Sacrament during the Toronto was apparently using his phone to send texts and dialled 911 to warn that the man could be pirating the film, which is due to be released in