The South African Film and Publications Board awarded Showerhead, a documentary about Zapiro's work, a rating of 16 LNPSV.
Jonathan Zapiro Shapiro has described the South African Film and Publication Board's (SAFPB) decision to impose a 16-year age limit on a new film about his life as “foolish”.
“I thought the assessment was ridiculous,” Zapiro said. The Citizen.
SAFPB is a film Shower heada documentary about Zapiro's work, rated 16LNPSV.
Essentially, this rating means that the judges believe the film contains scenes of moderately or possibly strongly affecting sexual activity, very offensive language, nudity, bigotry, sex and violence.
What makes this assessment odd is that Zapiro's comics have been published many times in different media and have even been incorporated into school curricula.
Watch: Showerhead trailer
Shower head The book chronicles the journey of Mzansi's best-known cartoonist, from his beginnings as an artist and political prisoner in the apartheid-era liberation movement to his emergence as a champion of freedom of expression.
The documentary is directed by Craig Tanner and produced by Anant Singh and is set to release in selected cinemas nationwide this Friday.
Related article: Cartoonist Zapiro wins France's highest cultural award
Is Zapiro's film rated PG/13?
Cartoonists said the SAFPB ruling reminded them of the apartheid era, when censorship was severe.
“The wording and reasoning of this panel reminded me of the publications and trustees of the past. I am in my mid-60s and lived through a time when my paintings were banned and publications in which my paintings were published were also banned.
“At that time, [why it was banned] The typical reason is “to further the objectives of a proscribed organization.”
“But the reason they ban something sometimes has to do with Christian values, sometimes has to do with political shielding, sometimes has to do with swearing and a whole range of other things,” the cartoonist said.
Zapiro is realistic, saying the film could have been restricted to a 13-year-old and still be understandable.
“All of us involved in this film felt that if it had to have a 13PG rating, that would be understandable, because children under 13 may need parental or teacher guidance,” Zapiro said.
“But for high school students, the whole idea of protecting them from critics, protecting them from satire, protecting them from harsh criticism of a man who has served as president of the country, protecting them from language that they are familiar with, protecting them from alleged sexual violence…I would say that at its most extreme, this film alludes to sexual violence through the metaphor of painting,” he said.
Related article: BASA claims that Johadien was not forced to resign following puzzling remarks
'Shower head rating
The shower strapped to Zuma's head comes from his confession during the rape allegation, in which he said he took the shower after having sex with Fezekile Khuzwayo, known as Khwezi, who accused the former president of raping him.
“Nowhere in the film do we find an uncritical approach to sexual violence. The rape of Lady Justice cartoon and subsequent rape tropes in cartoons are clearly there as a combination of both the act and the political act that it represents,” Zapiro said.
He said the cartoon depicting the rape of Lady Justice and other cartoons about sexual violence were drawn very carefully.
“Women are metaphorically clearly categorized. They are depicted in a way that allows women to empathize with women who are fighting against patriarchy.”
The cartoonist said he and the film's production team felt the ruling made them highly vulnerable to legal approach.
To fight the SAFPB's decision, the film's makers have hired the same legal team that represented Zapiro in his case against President Zuma.
“There was a hearing last weekend and we are currently awaiting a ruling which will see the rating overturned. There is also the possibility that the rating will be revoked and reduced to 13PG.”
Related article: Zapiro gifts Zuma with old shower head and other junk for his birthday
KZN backlash
As the title suggests, the film talks about what has become Zapiro's trademark in portraying Zuma.
The film will be screened in selected cinemas across the country, but will not be shown in any cinemas in KwaZulu-Natal.
“There is not a single cinema in KwaZulu-Natal that will screen this film.”
Shower head The film was first screened at the 45th Durban International Film Festival a few months ago, where protests erupted during the screening.
“Nearly an hour into the film, as they began to attack Zuma, we suddenly heard a loud male voice singing over the soundtrack. We couldn't really hear what was going on. [in the film].
“I remember them singing in Zulu, 'Ubaba something' and 'Zuma, my president', with a few English words mixed in.”
NOW READ: Zapiro slammed for racism and rape metaphors
