Film Censorship: Time to reform

Satyajit Ray directed his classic political satire', Heerak Rajar Deshe', in 1980. Ray's commentary on socio-political issues in this film invokes thoughts among the politically aware populous. Ray used allegory and imagery to portray a controlled society. Though it was introduced as a children's film, the message behind it was eye-opening. After watching it again, the question arises that could Ray release this film in Bangladesh 2.0?

The question arises when numerous films face the scissors by the 'Bangladesh Film Censor Board and can't make it to the magical screen where they were destined.

The most recent example is Raihan Rafi's web film 'Omimangshito.' The censor board flagged the film for its brutal murder scenes and similarities to actual events in its story, screenplay, and dialogue. According to them, the film is 'not fit for exhibition' in public.

Mostafa Sarwar Farooki's award-winning film 'Saturday Afternoon' has been awaiting censorship clearance for five years. The film is centred on the tragic terror attack that took place at Holey Artisan Bakery in 2016. Allegedly, 'National reputation' stuck the film's censor certificate. Farooki is an internationally acclaimed director, and this unfortunate event made negative headlines worldwide.

Frustrated, Farooki told AFP-

"Filmmakers should feel free to take inspiration from any incident that happens around them. They don't tarnish an image. They only interpret events. It's real-world actions that can damage an image."

The film was released digitally on Zee5, but the Bangladeshi audience was deprived of watching it on the big screen.

An independent film, 'My Bicycle,' written and directed by Aung Rakhine, was critically acclaimed internationally. It was screened and created significant buzz at festivals across the world. Yet, the censor board banned the film.

This hardship of filmmakers is not new or exclusive to Bangladesh. There are examples of authoritarian countries where filmmakers have had to leave their countries, were banned from working, and even faced prison. Jafar Panahi is one of the greatest Iranian filmmakers. In 1995, he won the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. But later, he was banned from making films for 20 years and sentenced to six years on charges of breaking Iran's strict censorship rules.

Hollywood went through this phase about 100 years ago. After the initial amazement of moving pictures on the screen, filmmakers started telling serious stories through their films.

States across the USA had begun censoring films according to their values. Filmmakers sometimes had to release multiple versions of the same film in different states to meet the censorship criteria.

Prominent filmmaker Otto Preminger openly challenged the system by refusing to remove dialogue that the code deemed inappropriate. He famously stated-

"I do not believe in censorship of any kind. Artistic works should be free to express any aspect of the human condition."

Hollywood was later recovered by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) film rating system in 1968. Instead of censoring films, the MPAA started rating the films, thus letting the filmmakers tell their stories however they see fit.

Under the MPAA Film Rating System, films are not banned based on content. The system is designed as a voluntary guideline to inform consumers, especially parents, about the nature of a film's content and not to enforce legal restrictions on content.

The rating system brought significant changes to the film industry. It increased creative freedom and diverse storytelling. With the MPAA rating system, filmmakers could delve into a broader range of subjects.

This freedom allowed for a fresh wave of cinema, where filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick could boldly challenge artistic norms and delve into profound human emotions without worrying about censorship.

Indian films also underwent turbulent censorship in the 20th century. During British rule in India, the Cinematograph Act of 1918 was implemented to censor political content that could potentially provoke the Indian population against the British government. 

After India's independence, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) was formed in 1952. As time passed, the regulations for censoring Indian films were modified to include a classification system that categorizes films based on their suitability for different audiences instead of solely censoring content.

Over time, the Indian film censorship rules began incorporating a rating system to classify films according to their suitability for various audiences rather than merely censoring content. This shift in censorship allowed a broader range of films to be exhibited with proper ratings.

Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) film rating

Films are given ratings before they are released. The MPAA rating system has five main ratings:

G (General Audiences): Suitable for all ages. It contains little or no content that might offend parents if viewed by children.

PG (Parental Guidance Suggested): Some materials may not be suitable for children. Parents should give 'parental guidance.' The film may contain some material parents might not like for their young children.

PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned): Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents should be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.

R (Restricted): This film contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before bringing their young children. It is generally inappropriate for parents to bring their young children to R-rated movies.

NC-17 (No One 17 and Under Admitted): Clearly adult. Children are not admitted.

Giving films such ratings can make the audience aware of the film. One of the main features of the MPAA rating is participation in this rating system is voluntary, and they can not ban any films.

Ratings like R or NC-17 significantly impact the film's commercial success as they are limited in exhibition and release. This system self-regulates itself. 

Hollywood dramatically benefits from their rating system. Bangladesh, however, is 100 years behind Hollywood. The Bangladesh Film Censor Board comprises members designated by the government to examine, review, and certify films for public screening in Bangladesh.

There is no rating system. A film submitted to the censor board can have corrections or be barred from releasing. Filmmakers are suffering. Making a film is a challenging job.

A team of fifty to a hundred people has to work for months, if not years, to make a film. And after all the years of hard work, if a filmmaker can't even release his film, they get demotivated.

The Bangladeshi film industry is in a crucial state. In recent years, many domestic films have garnered a national and international audience. Films like 'Doob,' 'Hawa,' and 'Rehana Maryam Noor' drew a lot of audiences as well as success in the international film circuit.

In this modern age, the audience can not be barred from any form of content. If our local filmmakers can't deliver according to the audience's expectations, they will log in to Netflix, MAX, or Disney.

If the censor board is not reformed and does not cope with international standards, the potential of this booming industry will be in vain. If they do, many groundbreaking films will be made.

bashiirahammed@yahoo.com