Film censorship a must to retain certain norms

Film censorship a must to retain certain norms

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian government rules that all films
and commercials must be censored to protect the public from any
possible negative impact of the productions.

Under the tight censorship, certain scenes must be omitted.
Some films have even been rejected while others have been
withdrawn from circulation following public protest.

Oscar-winning film Schindler's List did not pass censorship in
June last year because it was said to contain too much violence
and nudity. The Indonesian Council of Ulemas had said that the
film was Jewish propaganda.

The government banned True Lies in September last year upon
the protest of some Moslem leaders who believed that the film
insulted Islam. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the comedy-action
film had been playing to full houses for two weeks before it was
barred from circulation.

Several local films have also been banned. Romusha was banned
in 1974 on the grounds that it exploited violence. Pembalasan
Ratu Laut Selatan (The Revenge of the Queen of the Southern Sea)
was banned in 1989 after the public protested that it promoted
obscenity and violence.

What are the criteria of film censorship?

According to the government's new regulation on film
censorship, signed by President Soeharto on March 3, 1994, any
film which emphasizes a certain political ideology, which can
result in dissent and can disturb national stability, should be
rejected. The Film Censorship Institute, the authorized
censorship body in the country, will reject any film which
focuses on atheism or discredits a certain religion which is
recognized in the country. If more than 50 percent of the scenes
contain violence or sex, the film must also be rejected.

Censorship must be based on the elements of religion, ideology
and politics, public order and socio-cultural elements.

From the socio-cultural point of view, scenes which should be
omitted include:

* Any scene of a man and a woman who are totally naked, or who
look totally naked, seen frontal, from behind or from the side.

* Close up of private organs, thighs, breasts or buttocks,
with or without any cover.

* Passionate kissing, by either a heterosexual or a homosexual
couple.

* Any scene, action or sound of people or animals making love,
either explicitly or implicitly.

* Masturbation, homosexual acts and oral sex.

* Any acts of human beings or animals which can arouse a
viewer's passion.

* Improper exposure of contraceptive devices.

* Scenes which can give the impression of people being
unethical.

Scenes cut because they can cause public disorder are:

* The execution of a death sentence which is described in
detail so that it can give the impression of torture.

* Violence or its result, which can give the impression of
sadism.

* Exaggeration in the description of the felony of an
individual, still living or dead, or a group of people in
society.

From the ideological and political points of view, things
which are cut are:

* Any scene which is disadvantageous to the preservation of
the values based on the Pancasila state ideology and the 1945
Constitution.

* Any scene which supports communism, Marxism/Leninism,
Maoism, colonialism, imperialism and fascism.

* Any picture or symbol which is associated with the worship
of the truth of communism, Marxism/Leninism and Maoism.

The government says that censorship is meant to maintain the
values and culture of the nation and to monitor public
appreciation for films. It is also a part of the government's
effort to guide cinematography in Indonesia. (sim)