Durban International Film Festival: Opening film "Of Good Report" not screened, censored by Film Board for "child pornography"
At the opening of the 2013 Durban International Film Festival on 18 July, instead of the highly anticipated screening of the film Of Good Report, the following text was projected on the screen:
“This film has been refused classification by the Film and Publication Board, in terms of the Film and Publications Act of 1996, unfortunately we may not legally screen the film, Of Good Report, as doing so would constitute a criminal offence.”
Rather than screen another film, deemed disrespectful to the filmmaker, cast and crew, the cinema theatre was transformed into a space for reflection as Lawzi Manzi, a doctor and wife of the filmmaker Jahmil X. T. Qubeka, who taped his mouth shut in protest, described the terrible abuse that teenage girls and young women endure by predatory older men who lure them into relationships.
A member of the audience filmed the event, which is posted on YouTube with the following description:
"At the opening of the Durban International Film Festival, instead of screening the scheduled film, OF GOOD REPORT, a letter was read which prohibits any screenings and requires that all copies be destroyed. The wife of the filmmaker is a medical doctor and she speaks to the subject of the film and her experiences with women victims, such as those depicted in the film."
Also read: This film has been banned by Katarina Hedren (Africaisacountry.com)
