'Schindler's List' finally banned

'Schindler's List' finally banned

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian censors have banned the showing of
the Oscar-winning film Schindler's List, saying that it contains
too much violence and nudity.

Soekanto, the Executive Director of the Film Censorship Board,
told The Jakarta Post yesterday the decision was reached at the
board's plenary meeting. The meeting was convened on Monday to
decide on whether or not to pass the film, which has generated
quite a bit of controversy here.

"It was decided by acclamation, not voting, and most of the
attending members agreed that the film should be banned,"
Soekanto explained. He added that, this time, the decision was
valid because it was attended by 27 of the board's 45 members.

The required quorum is 23.

The board on May 24 had passed the film pending cuts of scenes
considered "sadistic and pornographic." However, Soekanto
nullified the decision three days later, saying that two of the
24 votes were made by proxy.

Schindler's List, which won seven Academy Awards, including
ones for best film and best director, has spawned a debate in
Indonesia in the past two months as the nation waited for the
censors' decision on whether or not to pass the film.

The film is a dramatized account of a German profiteer who
saved 1,100 Polish Jews from the Nazi's death camp during the
World War II.

Many Moslem groups, including the influential Indonesian
Ulemas Council (MUI), had wanted the film barred from the
country, saying that the film was Jewish propaganda.

However, Soekanto said the board did not consider whether or
not the film propagates Zionism. "No, we didn't base our decision
on that matter. It's purely because of the nudity and sadistic
actions."

But Soekanto said that even if the board had approved the film
with cuts, the film's director Steven Spielberg would likely have
withdrawn it as he had insisted that Schindler's List be shown in
its entirety or not at all.

This he did in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur insisted on cutting
some of the scenes.

Soekanto predicted the impact of barring the film would have a
similar result as what happened in Malaysia.

"The director will probably withdraw all his films, including
Jurassik Park," Soekanto remarked.

Lukman Harun, an activist with the Committee for Islam
Solidarity, cheered the board's decision to ban the film. In his
view, it spared the nation unnecessary problems.

"It's good. I say that because if the censors had passed the
film, they would had created more problems. We already have a
pile of problems to solve," he explained to the Post last night.

Lukman said that if the film were shown here, the worst case
scenario would be protests from Moslems all over Indonesia who
consider the film to be Zionist propaganda.

Rosihan Anwar, a senior journalist and noted film critic, also
welcomed the government's decision, saying that Indonesia should
not bow to Spielberg's demands because Indonesia has its own
moral values.

However, Rosihan Anwar who was a honorary guest at the first
screening of the film at the board's office, said the film is
actually a good one to see, especially by Indonesia's younger
generation.

"Our younger people do not like to read, especially history.
So, by seeing this more-than-three-hour film, they will get
lessons about the Nazi's, Jews and the holocaust. It's more
practical than reading a thick book.

"From an artistic point of view, it's really good. But, as we
know, the director Steven Spielberg has vowed to withdraw the
film if it's not shown in its entirety. This is the problem
because there are a number of repulsive acts which need cutting,"
Rosihan said. (11)