The banning of Of Good Report, a South African film themed on child pornography by the South Africa's Film and Publication Board was recently discussed on Al Jazeera's global talk show, South 2 North. The film revolves around a teacher's obsession with his student.
The host, Redi Tlhabi spoke to three film directors in the aftermath of the ban; Of Good Report director Jahmil Qubeka, Cameroon's Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Le President) and Angola's João Viana (The Battle of Tabata).
Here's what Jahmil says about the psychological thriller, "It's your classical tale of lust, shameful lust…, For teenagers this a horror film. I want kids, particularly girls, to watch this and I want to scare them."
Jahmil who managed to get the banning over-turned is also proceeding with a
defamation case against the Film and Publication Board of South Africa.
On the effects of the ban, Jahmil continued, "I'm not sad for me. This has turned me into a superstar. My life has changed in a week. I've been in Variety magazine… three times. What I am sad for is my nation because my nation was refused the right to see the film."
Calling his role as a filmmaker "a privilege" and describing film as "the definitive artform of the 21st century," he says, "Self reflection is the only way you can develop. We are the mirrors of our society… If we are living in an age where our government is putting down draconian policies that don't allow self-reflection, instead we showcase a world that is actually not real, so how will we get to a place of seeing where we are?"
