Film censorship is carried out by various countries to differing degrees, sometimes as a result of powerful or relentless lobbying by organizations or individuals. Films that are banned in a particular country change over time.
Rating systems
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of obscene content. A particular issued rating can be called a certification, classification, certificate.
By country
Australia
Australia's Australian Classification Board, formerly known as the Office of Film and Literature Classification , uses the Commonwealth Classification Act 1995 as a guide for the majority of the censorship within the country; however, each state and territory is free to make additional legislation. Australia is regarded by many to be the most restrictive on film ratings of all Western democratic countries, considering its history and prolific "refusal of classification" to certain films, although restrictions have eased over the years. In practice, films still get a short cinematic run before they are reviewed and prevented from being shown at cinemas or released on DVD. This is not a comprehensive list; many films that have been previously banned are not mentioned here. Also not included are the numerous pornographic films deemed too excessive to release under an X18+ category, which are refused classification by the ACB.
Brazil
;During dictatorship During the dictatorship in Brazil, that last from 1964 to 1988, several films were banned under the Federal Law from Brazil 5536 from 1968. During several years a project was being developed to find and publish every document on censorship in films during the dictatorship. The project "Memory of Censorship in Brazilian Cinema" released in 2005 six thousand documents about 175 banned films during the dictatorship. And, finally, in 2007 they released documents for the last 269 films banned at that time. ;After democratization
1993: Beyond Citizen Kane:
"On August 20, 2009, the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo reported that Rede Record bought the broadcasting rights of the documentary from Ellis for less than US$ 20,000." "On February 14, 2011, the newspaper Jornal do Brasil reported that Rede Record would be broadcasting the documentary in 2011, on a date yet to be specified."
This film about Di Cavalcanti was banned due a lawsuit open by Di Cavalcanti daughter, Elizabeth, in 1979. The film documented the wake and funeral of the Brazilian painter Di Cavalcanti. Since 1979 it can not be shown, at the request of his daughter Elizabeth through preliminary injunction granted by Justice, confirmed in 1983, for sentimental reasons tied with religious ideas. In 1985, the lawyer Felipe Falcon moved an action to reform the judgment, by proposing the dispossession of the film by the state on cultural grounds, to the detriment of the heirs of Di and Glauber. Yet with no solution in sight, Di Glauber must stay contained in a sealed box. 2004: In spite of everything, João Rocha, nephew of the Glauber Rocha, has placed a copy on video on providers outside of Brazil: the internet users can make free downloads of the movie, proving that censor the cinema in digital age is useless.
A Serbian Film had its release in Brazil liberated on August 5, 2011. The exception is Rio de Janeiro estate, where the film was forbidden due a lawsuit filed by the Democratspolitical party, who claim that the pedophilia scenes infringe the part of the Brazilian Constitution that protects children. The case was overturned in 2012.
Canada
At present, only films containing prohibited material or under court order are banned in Canadian provinces.
In 1906, the first legislation arose discussing the censorship of film and media. This was met with pushback, due to preexisting legislation regarding censorship of the media. The higher courts deemed the film censorship was indeed legal, however provided no guidance towards individual parts of Germany, creating discrepancies province to province.
Post WW1
In Germany, film censorship was abolished in 1918, however the Motion Picture Law in 1920 created film review boards which were used to screen films that may perpetrate a negative image of Germany to the rest of the world.
India
In India, films are censored by the Central Board of Film Certification, a statutory censorship and classification body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Films should be certified by the board to publicly exhibit it in India, including films shown in television. CBFC is considered to be one of the most powerful censor boards in the world due to its strict ways of functioning.
Iran
All films depicting anything deemed contrary to Islamic morals are banned outright in Iran.
Due to the small size of Ireland, films banned by the British Board of Film Classification were rarely even submitted for release in Ireland, due to the high costs of promotion and distribution for such a small audience. Similarly, BBFC cuts are often left in DVD releases, due to the difficulties in separating the two film supplies. This changed in 2000; many of these films have since been unbanned and rated anywhere from PG to 18. During the review process it was decided that no more films would be banned for either theatre or video release, but some bans are still in place. Banned films can still be viewed at private members' clubs with 18+ age limits.
Israel
All German films were banned from 1956 until 1967.
Malaysia
South Africa
During the Apartheid regime, films depicting interracial couples were banned and/or censored for content - the James Bond filmsLive and Let Die and A View To A Kill had love scenes which were censored by the South African government. In 1996 The Film and Publication Board, or FPB, was established under the Film and Publications Act. This board was created as a content-classification and regulation authority, operating under the Minister of Communications. The FPB's purpose was ostensibly to tackle issues of child pornography and child abuse, as well as to provide ratings to publicly consumed media such as movies, music and television programs. Under these directives, its mandate could be considered one of state censorship.
South Korea
According to the Internet Movie Database, there are no currently-banned films in South Korea. In recent years, sexual scenes have been a major issue that pits filmmakers against the Media Rating Board. Pubic hair and male or female genitalia are disallowed on the screen, unless they are digitally blurred. In rare cases extreme violence, obscene language, or certain portrayals of drug use may also be an issue. Korea has a five level rating systems; G, PG-12, PG-15, PG-18 and Restricted.
United Kingdom
The infamous video nasty list was created in 1982 to protect against obscenity. Films on this list were banned and distributors of said films were liable to be prosecuted. This list banned 74 films at one point in the mid-1980s; the list was eventually trimmed down, and only 39 films were successfully prosecuted. Most of the films have now been approved by the BBFC, cut or uncut.
United States
The United States has no federal agency charged with either permitting or restricting the exhibition of motion pictures. Most instances of films being banned are via ordinances or proclamations by city or state governments. Some are instances of films being judicially found to be of an obscene nature and subject to specific laws against such material. Such findings are usually only legally binding in the jurisdiction of the court making such a ruling. The established film industry in the United States began a form of self-censorship in the late 1920s called the Motion Picture Production Code to forestall any possible formation of a federal censoring agency. In 1968, the Production Code was superseded by the MPAA film rating system. The rating system is broken down into five categories and each have a respective definition. They are G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17. It was created by Jack Valenti in 1968. In addition to providing film ratings, the MPAA also lobbies Congress, helps in international promotion of the U.S. film industry, and piracy protection.
Brief history
Film censorship, the control of the content and presentation of a film, has been a part of the film industry almost as long as it has been around. The activists of current society continue to broaden the First Amendment rights for the film industry allowing the art to be restricted to a certain limit. In fact, Britain established film censorship in 1912 and the United States followed a decade later. Other early efforts of censoring the film industry include the Hays Code of 1922 and the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930.
