Censors Board condemns filmmakers’ non-compliance with rules.

                                          The South-East Zonal Coordinator of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Mrs Elizabeth Uwaeozuoke, on Friday condemned the non-compliance of Nigerian filmmakers with censorship rules. Uwaeozuoke said this while presenting a paper titled: “Film Censorship and Classification: Regulation and Compliance’’, during the board road show in Makurdi.  

                                                                            

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the road show was tagged “Indigenous Language Movies and Contemporary Challenges’’. The Coordinator lamented that the level of compliance by stakeholders with censorship had been very low. “Many foreign and local films and video works are thrown into the market without passing through the board for censorship and classification,’’ she said.                                                                                                       

Uwaeozuoke said that the legally restrictive classifications were not adhered to, adding that it was common to see those below 18 years of age watching movies meant for 18 years and above.

She said that censorship officers had been blackmailed and had received several threats to their lives by film makers to force them to bend the rules.

“In most cases, family members are called on phone to talk to officers and lives have been lost in the process, ‘’ Uwaeozuoke said.                                                                                                                       

She said that the board was faced with enormous challenges including poor funding, sabotage, multiple film release, a story being released with different titles, refusal to effect corrections when films were referred.

The coordinator called for a synergy between the board and the law enforcement agents so as to compel players in the industry to comply with the censorship rules.                                                                                

A director with the National Film Institute, Jos, Dr Teddy Hanmakyugh also presented a paper titled: “Appreciating the Technical Environment in Film Production: a Sine Qua Non for Quality Productions’’.

Hanmakyugh said that actors and filmmakers needed re-orientation on preservation and promotion of national values through film making.

He told filmmakers that money should not be the central focal point when producing films but what the society would gain from the film.                                                                                                                      

“One man cannot be a producer, a director and a marketer.

“We need better synergy of professionals to create films that make global impact and one man show may not do this,’’ Hanmakyugh said.

NAN reports that the road show attracted popular actors, producers, directors and other entertainers across the country.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             posted by Emanto Ngaloru Nov 20, 2013.