Iranian cinema

Iranian cinema is believed to be the most censored cinema in the world. 

Not because the content of the film explicit in anyway. In fact compare to Irish or British cinema the films themselves are quite tame. It has more to with the government control that over see the funding and making of the movies. And also put a cap on the content and subject matter of the films. 
This is all down to Iranian government and there society in general. In 1979, a revolution changed Iran from a constitutional monarchy to a republic based on sharia or Islamic law, founded by Ayatollah Rudolph khomini and begin a full on cultural reform in the country. As the Islamic cultural revolution work on as they called it “purged the country of western pollution”. 
And as cinema is viewed as a western of societies. Then this is no surprise as what can’t be said or done in Iran. The government is then not going to aloud those things to happen on the big screen for everyone to see and comment on. All film produced in Iran have to comply with strict rules and guidelines, this had led filmmaker to be very smart and good at getting around censorship. Be it by hireling actor that are related or by relying heavily on symbolism. A good example of a movie that used a lord of symbolism is a film called the cow made in 199 and made by someone the film is about a man and his cow and his interaction with the animal and the in and outs of his day. But on the outside the film just since to be about a man and his cow. But on the inside the cow representation the man s wife. The list of thing filmmakers has to work around is quite long.

Women had wearing loose long clothes so not to show there figures

And trousers in dark colours. Even scarves and chadors (a one-piece cloth covering head-to-toe) and they must be of dark colour. The hair and neck must be completely covered. Only the face and the hands to the wrist are allowed to be visible. It is prohibited for a woman to wear makeup this would later included men after someone tried (the movie was never made). No close up of a woman’s face It was all not allowed to show allot clothes throughout a film without a logical explanation. You can’t show any physical contact between men and women.

The exchange of any joke, talking, behavior, or sign between a male and female individual in a film which suggest anything  sexual matters both directly and in directly or just something the government wouldn’t like had to go this included signs and. To use young girls in any movie is not allowed without permission of the Office of Supervision and Evaluation. The use of a tie, bow tie and any other clothes that show foreign culture is not permitted. Smoking a cigarette or pipe or the drinking of alcoholic beverages and the use of narcotic drugs

Is completely out of the question. No music at all. Suggesting anything that is illegal or counter any Islamic order is banned.

Sharia laws and customs, religious beliefs and mandatory religious laws have to be followed at long times. Since the release of these regulations, new versions have been updated offered. In 1993, the government issued a further list of regulations intended to establish an Islamic,

Anti-imperialist cinema. Films will be rejected if they contain material what portrays Islam badly. Subverts Islam by creating superstition. Show or mentions situations that are against Islamic ideas. The showing questionable acts, corruption, prostitution and what they thought were improper wearing of the veil. Educates on the topic of or encourage dangerous and injurious addictions and illicit activist smuggling. Showing foreign culture, politics and economics or society in a misleading manner. Mention or presents any material that is against the interests of the country and thing that can be easily exploited by

Foreigners. Expresses or depicts historic and geographic facts and the internal problems of the country like politic in exaggerated way or in a manner that misleads the viewer and offends the principles of Islam. The using of unsettling sounds or scenes that could upset the viewer. Involves films with low artistic or technical value that could lead to a decline in the public’s taste and interests.

This was followed by yet another booklet in 1996,

Tight woman clothes and Showing any part of a woman’s body that isn’t her face or hands. Anything Physical between a man and woman. Jokes making fun of the army, police, or families.

Bad characters with a beard which could show them as religious figures.

 No Foreign language or swears words.

 Showing a favorable character that prefers being a lonely to being part of a collective life. Showing a Policemen and soldiers badly dressed or having a disagreement about anything.

Even if the filmmaking’s can make a movie with meeting or working around them using loopholes. They still have to go through categories being between A B or C depending on technical quality and aesthetic excellence, the higher the grade like an A  can get a film more media  attention can have and number of cinema it can be showed in. also get the best showing times longer time in the cinema. A C grade however will only get you a limited release and only shown at off-peck times. And refused promotion on state TV. This is though up as a more subtle form of censorship only lading to self-censorship as filmmakers were reluctant to make films that would be rejected by censors at a later stage; this would be a financial millstone too great to bear.

Bibliography

ARTICLE 19

GLOBAL CAMPAIGN FOR FREE EXPRESSION

Unveiled: Art and Censorship in Iran – ARTICLE 19, London, 2006 – Index Number: MENA/2006/09