‘Inxeba’ to be screened in cinemas again
THE controversial Xhosa initiation film
Inxeba (The Wound) was “unbanned” by the Pretoria High Court and will be back on mainstream cinema screens on Friday.
“I am hopeful that the capitulation of the Appeals Tribunal, Contralesa Gauteng and the Man and Boy Foundation to remove the X-rating will assist in ensuring that the violent acts performed in opposition to the film are brought to an end, and that members of the public who wish to exercise their right to engage with Inxeba are no longer prohibited from doing so,” said producer Cait Pansegrouw.
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) overturned their 16SL-rating last month and reclassified Inxeba to X18, which is the same rating as a pornographic film that can’t be viewed in cinemas.
In the court application yesterday, Webber Wentzel, on behalf of the film producers, requested a review of the decision of the FPB’s Appeals Tribunal, which gave
Inxeba a rating of X18SNLVP, overturning the FBP rating of 16LS, essentially classifying the film as hard core pornography.
The application also sought an interim court order allowing the film to be screened in mainstream cinemas for the first time since its initial commercial release on February 2, which was followed by the “effective banning” of the film by the Appeals Tribunal 10 days later, pending a review.
Contralesa Gauteng, the Man and Boy Foundation and the FPB’s Appeals Tribunal all opposed the application lodged by Webber Wentzel on behalf of the producers and distributor. All the opposing parties capitulated on the question of an urgent interim relief and the court then granted an urgent interim order instructing that the film be screened, pending a thorough review of the Appeals Tribunal decision.
The X-rating has been removed from the 18 classification by the high court, while it awaits affidavits of representation from all affected parties, both pro and in opposition to the decision of the Appeals Tribunal. The review is due to be heard on March 28.
The director John Trengove responded to the court order: “Getting back on to screens in mainstream cinemas is a vindicated victory for the film, but the South African film and arts community still deserves to hear a real explanation of how the tribunal arrived at such an embarrassing violation of our legal and constitutional rights.”