Calls surge to replace LSF<\/p>\n
By Joko E.H. Anwar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): During the New Order era, the film censorship
\nboard was a government tool used to ban movies considered a
\nthreat to the ruling party.<\/p>\n
The board was also known to be merciless when it came to
\ncutting scenes it considered erotic or too violent.<\/p>\n
Today, the Film Censorship Institution (LSF) appears to be
\nless active with its scissors, but its work is still considered
\ninvasive since it often cuts scenes inappropriately.<\/p>\n
The censorship board members seem to think that they are not
\nonly entitled to cut scenes which they consider too violent or
\ntoo erotic, they also apparently think it is their right to
\ndecide whether the moral of a film is suitable for viewers or
\nnot.<\/p>\n
Academy Award winning film Belle Epoque, which was shown at
\ntheaters here last month, is evidence of how local censorship has
\ntaken away viewers' right to determine a film's value.<\/p>\n
The board cut several scenes from the film which were neither
\nerotic or violent but challenged viewers values, which made the
\nfilm lose its context.<\/p>\n
For a film of Belle Epoque's quality, it was a shame.<\/p>\n
Critic-turned-filmmaker Marselli Sumarno said the film
\ncensorship board should be replaced by an independent body which
\nwould rate films instead of censor them.<\/p>\n
\"There should be a board established by film people themselves
\nto rate films; which films are for children, for adults, and so
\non,\" director of Sri said, adding that theaters should then
\nstrictly apply the rating system.<\/p>\n
Documentary filmmaker Shanty Harmayn echoed Marselli's
\nopinion, saying a board in charge of rating films was needed.<\/p>\n
In the United States, every film to be shown at theaters must
\nbe submitted to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
\nto be rated.<\/p>\n
The MPAA rates films with the following symbols: G (General
\nAudiences: All ages admitted), PG (Parental Guidance Suggested:
\nsome material may be inappropriate for children under 13), PG-13
\n(Parents Strongly Cautioned: Some material may be inappropriate
\nfor children under 13), R (Restricted: Children under 17 require
\naccompanying parent or adult guardian) and NC-17 (No Children
\nUnder 17 Admitted).<\/p>\n
Since most movie theaters strictly apply the system, a rating
\nwhich enables a wider audience to see a film means a greater
\nchance for a producer to earn a larger profit.<\/p>\n
The censorship board here also rates films, which is futile
\nsince it cuts out the scenes it considers erotic or too violent
\nor morally unacceptable.<\/p>\n
One film which was rejected by the board is Threesome, a drama
\nbased on a love triangle between a young woman and two men, one
\nof whom happens to be a homosexual.<\/p>\n
The film has been judged unsuitable for screening here due to
\nits theme and has been deemed \"obscene\" despite the fact that the
\nfilm contains far fewer intimate scenes compared to many other
\nfilms released here.<\/p>\n
\"We strictly hold on to Indonesian values,\" LSF chairwoman
\nTatiek Maliyati told The Jakarta Post during a recent interview
\nat her office.<\/p>\n
Tatiek said that currently there are 45 people on the board,
\nsome of whom are ulemas and other religious leaders. Others are
\nexperts in education.<\/p>\n
Every film is viewed by a team of five members of the board
\nwho decide which scenes should be cut or if the film should be
\napproved for local screening.<\/p>\n
The current ratings applied by the board are Semua Umur (all
\nages admitted), Remaja (no preteens admitted) and Dewasa
\n(adults).<\/p>\n
Tatiek, however, refused to let the Post see how members of a
\nteam work, saying it would spoil their concentration.<\/p>\n
However, a log book belonging to the board which contains a
\nlist of films which have not been passed by the board shows that
\nthe board often rejects a film for a ridiculous reason.<\/p>\n
For an example, feature-length animated film South Park:
\nBigger, Longer, and Uncut has not been passed for release in VCD
\nsince it is \"a film which is obviously propaganda since the film
\nshows a penis on Saddam Hussein's face\".<\/p>\n
The fact that the widely popular series on which the feature-
\nlength film is based makes fun of everyone is obviously not known
\nby the board members.<\/p>\n
However, both filmmaker Shanty and Marselli agree that the
\ncensorship board today is more tolerant with films.<\/p>\n
Shanty, who also organized the film event of the year, the
\nsecond Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest), said the
\ncensorship board had given preferential treatment to films for
\nthe festival.<\/p>\n
\"The LSF treated the films as festival films. For example,
\nthey didn't cut the kind of scenes they normally would, but we
\nhad to blur particular scenes,\" Shanty, who is also a professor
\nof documentary production at the Jakarta Art Institute (IKJ),
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Shanty also corrected an earlier report which claimed that one
\nof the films which was supposed to be shown at the festival,
\nKadosh, had not been passed by the censorship board.<\/p>\n
The Israeli-France film tells the story of two sisters who are
\nconfronted with the pressure of their faith.<\/p>\n
\"The board passed the film but we received a protest from a
\ngroup called the Anti-Zionist Gathering Committee,\" Shanty said.<\/p>",
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