Public outcry over the film Inxeba (The Wound) has led to the Film and Publication Board saying it will in future consult traditional leaders before deciding on a rating for a movie that depicts cultural matters.
This comes after they overturned their rating for the controversial film from 16LS to X18 – effectively removing the movie from public viewing places.
Speaking in East London yesterday, FPB acting chief operations officer Abongile Mashele said they had a team of classifiers making sure content met guidelines before it went out to the public.
However, while the board has a diverse panel of classifiers who determine how each movie, board game and publication is rated, they did not have any traditional experts.
“Every four years we advertise for ordinary South Africans to classifiers.
“We have a total of 40 classifiers and we go to the ones suited for the particular content of a film.
“Just because a person is Xhosa, doesn’t mean they are experts but we will look into involving traditional leaders in future,” she said.
Mashele said prior to the release of Inxeba, they had received more than 400 e-mails complaining about the content of the film.
The rating was overturned for “classifiable elements of sex, language, nudity, violence and prejudice”.
“However, even when the rating was overturned, we got the same amount of complaints.
“People were asking why are we banning it,” she said.
“The movie has not been banned, it can only be screened at designated adult premises.”
Nkosi Gwazinamba Matanzima, standing chairman of the committee of traditions, cultures, customs and education under Contralesa, commended FPB for engaging the public on their guidelines.
“This is a good thing. They must come to the people and find out what their opinion on such issues is and how they are affected,” he said.
Matanzima said they were not only appalled by Inxeba, but were also upset by the Ferguson Films television production iGazi, which showed a distorted idea of the AmaMpondo nation.
Mashele said they were in the process of revising their existing classification guidelines.
Every five years the board revises the classification guidelines and the currents ones were last reviewed in 2012. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
Film board says it will consult traditional leaders in future after ‘Inxeba’ row
This comes after they overturned their rating for the controversial film from 16LS to X18 – effectively removing the movie from public viewing places.
Speaking in East London yesterday, FPB acting chief operations officer Abongile Mashele said they had a team of classifiers making sure content met guidelines before it went out to the public.
However, while the board has a diverse panel of classifiers who determine how each movie, board game and publication is rated, they did not have any traditional experts.
“Every four years we advertise for ordinary South Africans to classifiers.
“We have a total of 40 classifiers and we go to the ones suited for the particular content of a film.
“Just because a person is Xhosa, doesn’t mean they are experts but we will look into involving traditional leaders in future,” she said.
Mashele said prior to the release of Inxeba, they had received more than 400 e-mails complaining about the content of the film.
The rating was overturned for “classifiable elements of sex, language, nudity, violence and prejudice”.
“However, even when the rating was overturned, we got the same amount of complaints.
“People were asking why are we banning it,” she said.
“The movie has not been banned, it can only be screened at designated adult premises.”
Nkosi Gwazinamba Matanzima, standing chairman of the committee of traditions, cultures, customs and education under Contralesa, commended FPB for engaging the public on their guidelines.
“This is a good thing. They must come to the people and find out what their opinion on such issues is and how they are affected,” he said.
Matanzima said they were not only appalled by Inxeba, but were also upset by the Ferguson Films television production iGazi, which showed a distorted idea of the AmaMpondo nation.
Mashele said they were in the process of revising their existing classification guidelines.
Every five years the board revises the classification guidelines and the currents ones were last reviewed in 2012. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
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