Should this have been banned or not?...

[singledad]

<r>So we are having a bit of an uproar in SA, and I thought it would be interesting to get some outside opinions, since I’m not really sure where I stand myself.<br/>
<br/>
I film was made about a teacher who has a sexual relationship with a 16 year old pupil. It appears that the film does not condone this, but rather -<br/>

<QUOTE><s>

</s> Actress Phoenix Norgaard, who plays Nolitha’s friend in the film, said it highlighted the plight of young girls manipulated into having sex with older men as a means of economic survival.<e>

</e></QUOTE>

The Film and Publication Board, which is in charge of classifying films etc, objected to the character being shown to have sex with the teacher, and then being shown in her school uniform in the next scene. They are classifying this a child porn, and consequently it is now illegal to show, distribute or even view the film.<br/>
<br/>
<B><s></s>The actress who plays the role of the 16-year-old school pupil, is 23 years old – an adult, well above the age of consent.<e></e></B><br/>
<br/>
If the actress was the age of her character – 16 –I would say yes, it is definitely not ok. But she isn’t – she’s 23. Now, this definitely isn’t a film I would break my legs to see (it sounds rather distasteful, to be honest) but I’m not convinced that it really constitutes child porn... There were no actual children involved, after all. &lt;E&gt;<EMOJI seq="1f615"></EMOJI>&lt;/E&gt; I’m a firm believer of letting people make their own moral decisions, as long a no harm is caused. Besides, the film-makers claim that it could shine a light on a very real problem, and perhaps benefit young girls who find themselves in situations similar to that of the female lead character.&lt;br/&gt;
&lt;br/&gt;
What do you think? Were they right to ban it? Or is this, as the film-maker claims, censorship?&lt;br/&gt;
&lt;br/&gt;
The latest article, with links to previous articles &lt;URL url="&lt;/s&gt;here&lt;e&gt;&lt;/e&gt;&lt;/URL&gt;&lt;br/&gt;
&lt;br/&gt;
I know it’s hard to have a definitive opinion without seeing the film, but well – it’s illegal at the moment. Nothing to link...&lt;/r&gt;

 

[cybele]

From reading it, then no I don't think it should have been banned.

In order for it to be child porn then it needs to actually contain a child. A 23yr old in a school uniform is not a child, it is an adult pretending to be one, thus, not child pornography by definition.

 

[TabascoNatalie]

I don't how banning stuff works in SA, but in EU I have never heard of someone being prosecuted for watching a banned film.
After all, everything is out there on the internet, banned or not.
because of that, I sometimes think that having a work of art banned, feels more like a publicity stunt. But as I said, I don't know how it works in other places.

 

[mom2many]

I think we had a similar issue a while back with a film, if I remember correctly it still went to the theaters. I wish I could remember the name but it did involve a young girl, much younger girl and an older man. Most teens aren't actually played by a teen so I don't really see the issue.

 

[Andrew W.]

Of course it shouldn't have been banned. Films depict murder, rape, holocaust, incest, vampires that sparkle in daylight, wars, massacres--any number of horrible things and we don't ban them. This one even sounds thought provoking.

Since your link is broken and the name of your actress doesn't bring up any hits, here is the IMDB page for "Of Good Report":

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/south-africa-banned-film-director-jahmil-qubeka-speaks-out-1200566361/

Now, of course, a film that not many would have seen internationally can proudly proclaim "Banned in South Africa" across all its posters and reach a much wider audience than even the Durban Film Festival. I do see why the director would feel his name was besmirched by calling this child pornography, however.

Any banning of a film is censorship. Whether there has ever been a film made that should be censored is a different question. I would say that no film should be banned because of its content. Banning a film because of how it was made might be acceptable under certain circumstances.

 

[cybele]

I don't how banning stuff works in SA, but in EU I have never heard of someone being prosecuted for watching a banned film.
After all, everything is out there on the internet, banned or not.
because of that, I sometimes think that having a work of art banned, feels more like a publicity stunt. But as I said, I don't know how it works in other places.

A banned film means that it cannot be publically broadcast or made for sale in the country where it is banned. You won't be prosecuted for watching it.

We have a number of banned films here, and as we don't have an R rating for video games we have MANY banned video games, doesn't mean you can't buy them overseas/online though. They're just given a rating of "exempt from classification" which means that they cannot be sold/broadcast.

 

[akmom]

I don't think it should be banned, nor that it would be banned in the U.S. However, a movie that aims to highlight important social issues doesn't actually need an explicit scene to do so. I think they were just being opportunistic... maybe targeting an audience that wants to watch pornography, rather than making a real contribution to literature. I mean, how much are vulnerable young women really going to benefit from watching an explicit pornographic film? Come on.

Or maybe Tabasco and Andrew are right and it really is a publicity stunt.

Surprisingly, I just watched an old movie (1976) called "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane," and it contained a scene that I'm pretty sure would not be allowed today.

 

[cybele]

Off topic, but this reminds me slightly of the time my husband and I endeavoured to watch all the films on the video nasties list. We got about halfway through, then when we hit all the Nazi love camp ones we just couldn't do it anymore.
Seriously, some writers are sick, sick people.

 

[TabascoNatalie]

Off topic, but this reminds me slightly of the time my husband and I endeavoured to watch all the films on the video nasties list. We got about halfway through, then when we hit all the Nazi love camp ones we just couldn't do it anymore.
Seriously, some writers are sick, sick people.

As for writers -- if you read books, you could find stuff thats way more sick, in films sickness is quite limited, because you have to find a crew and investment for that.

Myself a few year ago had a quest -- find a horror film that would really scare me (because most of them are just plain silly). I watched quite a few video nasties. After a certain point, i just realized, that there are so many beautiful films out there, and i'm wasting my time on such crap.

As for older and non-hollywood films -- quite often you can see stuff that would not be allowed today. Doesn't make it a crime though.

 

[cybele]

I find Mills and Boon books disturbing, but I don't think that's what were getting at here...

I think everyone just as their thing that they cannot deal with though. I can handle gore, blood and guts, cannibalism, all that kind of stuff, but having this very dark period of history where such a large number of people were charmed by one man who had a goal to eradicate an entire race where so many people suffered and died for simply existing. That's horrific as it is, but then someone comes along and goes "You know what we can make out of this? A movie all about rape and torture... yeah that will be cool" and enough people opt to get involved and it becomes popular enough to have an entire sub-genre... I just find that so unbelievable and disturbing.

 

[singledad]

&lt;r&gt;&lt;QUOTE author="TabascoNatalie"&gt;&lt;s&gt;

&lt;/s&gt; I don't how banning stuff works in SA, but in EU I have never heard of someone being prosecuted for watching a banned film.&lt;e&gt;

&lt;/e&gt;&lt;/QUOTE&gt;

It’s quite simple, really. This film was classified as child pornography. That instantly made being in possession of it, illegal. Although it is admittedly hard to catch the guilty parties, people get prosecuted all the time, all over the world, for possession of child pornography. It’s considered a sex-crime, which lands you on the sex-offenders register in most countries that have one. &lt;E&gt;&lt;/E&gt;&lt;br/&gt;

&lt;QUOTE author="Andrew W."&gt;&lt;s&gt;

&lt;/s&gt; Since your link is broken and the name of your actress doesn't bring up any hits, here is the IMDB page for "Of Good Report": &lt;e&gt;

&lt;/e&gt;&lt;/QUOTE&gt;

Sorry. It worked when I posted it, but they must have moved it... &lt;E&gt;&lt;/E&gt;&lt;br/&gt;

&lt;QUOTE author="Andrew W."&gt;&lt;s&gt;

&lt;/s&gt;Any banning of a film is censorship. Whether there has ever been a film made that should be censored is a different question. I would say that no film should be banned because of its content. Banning a film because of how it was made might be acceptable under certain circumstances.&lt;e&gt;

&lt;/e&gt;&lt;/QUOTE&gt;

Not sure I understand this statement correctly. I fully support the idea that things like child-porn should be illegal (real child-porn, featuring real children). And some other things that people make porn films about that are just sick. But I admit, my feelings about this is due to the effect that is has on the “actors”.&lt;br/&gt;
&lt;br/&gt;
That said, the latest news is that the ban was lifted on appeal. It now has a 16 age-restriction, which sounds more sensible. Which still leaves me with some questions –&lt;br/&gt;
&lt;br/&gt;
It is safe to assume that no film featuring explicit sex can ever get less than a 16 age-restriction. The producers claim that this film is intended to speak to girls in circumstances similar to that of the female lead. Ie. Teenage girls. Simply put - the logic of making a film that won’t be legally available to a large portion of its proclaimed target audience eludes me... especially considering that they could have brought down the age-restriction to 13 without losing the message, simply by being more subtle about it –suggesting the sexual encounter without actually showing it. And that leaves me wondering about the true intentions of the makers of this film. Were they really trying to create a thought-provoking film with a strong message, or were they just trying to shock?&lt;br/&gt;
&lt;br/&gt;
Either way, I have to admit that I’m glad the ban was lifted. Although it fits our legal definition of child porn (if applied to the letter) I don’t think that it is, and I am very much against a small group of people deciding what the rest of the country should be allowed to see. I can still remember when we had a real “censorship board”, which banned arbitrary things thing Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” (Yep, that was banned until the early 90s.&lt;E&gt;&lt;/E&gt; ). Never want to go back there again...&lt;/r&gt;

 

[TabascoNatalie]

As for child porn, nobody gets convicted without a thorough investigation, and offenders usually land with enormous quantities of depraved material. From what info there was about this film, law wouldn't be able to prove a sex offence.

As for the ratings, they are more of a formality than reality. Most of horror films are 18+, yet the target audience are under 16s. Age restriction goes only for cinemas and buying, but at home one can watch whatever they want.

Without seing the film, i can hardly comment on what the makers were trying to say.

 

[IADad]

Three words:

Lifetime
Movie
Network

They'd go under without movies like this. There's no way it would be banned in the US, it might draw protest, but it wouldn't be banned.

 

[bobspock100]

unfortunately the world is plagued by stupid people. in the u.s. it is mostly prudes who live in a fantasy world, and religious nuts, who feel that 3/4 of all of life is "inappropriate. the minute I hear people throwing that word around I know they are assholes not worth listening to. there is no way such a film should have been banned. it reminds me of the old western movies where a few old women were marching on the saloon to demand an end to drinking.

 

[bobspock100]

if I sounded extreme in that last post, excuse me. I am orientated to Amsterdam, Netherlands, where things are different than in the western hemisphere