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List of films banned in Singapore

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This is a list of films banned in Singapore. It includes films were banned, or refused classification for screening in the country due to issues of virtue, either by law or by the Board of Film Censors, as part of Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore.

The list also includes films that were previously banned but were subsequently passed with different classification ratings.

List

[edit]
Date Film Notes
1971–2011 A Clockwork Orange Banned for over 30 years, before an attempt at release was made in 2006. However, the submission for a M18 rating was rejected, and the ban was not lifted.[1] The ban was later lifted, with film was shown uncut with an R21 rating on 28 October 2011, as part of the Perspectives Film Festival.[2][3]
1973 The Exorcist Banned upon initial release, and subsequently rated M18 with cuts made to "a scene of a disfigured statue of the Virgin Mary, and a scene of possessed Regan MacNeil stabbing herself in the crotch with a crucifix while uttering “Jesus f**k you!”...[for] “films that denigrate any religious group” and “language that denigrates religion or is religiously profane”".[1][4]
1973 Last Tango in Paris Banned for its strong sexual content.[1]
1974–2004 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Banned for 30 years.[1] Passed uncut after 2004 with an M18 rating for violence.[5]
1975 Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom Banned due to graphic violence and nudity.[6]
1979 Monty Python's Life of Brian Banned for "inappropriate" religious content.[7][8]
1980 Cannibal Holocaust Banned due to its extremely violent content and actual on-screen killings of animals.[9][10]
1980–2006 Saint Jack Banned for the "excessive edits required to the scenes of nudity and some coarse language before it could be shown to a general audience," the film was reclassified to an M18 rating in 2006.[11]
1981–2011 The Evil Dead Banned since its release in 1981; authorities disallowed it for "excessive graphic violence and gore". Ban lifted in 2011 and reclassified R21.[12]
1986 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 Banned by the authority. Subsequently, rated R21.[13]
1988 The Last Temptation of Christ Banned for blasphemous content.[14]
1989 Begotten Reportedly banned in Singapore, this experimental horror film depicts the allegorical death and rebirth of a God-like figure with graphic violence and sexual imagery throughout.[15]
2001–2004 Zoolander Banned without a reason given, though the plot is about a man who is brainwashed to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia, a neighbouring country, which also banned the film.[16] Passed uncut after 2004 with an NC16 rating.[17]
2004 Formula 17 Banned because it "portrayed homosexuality as normal, a natural progression of society."[18]
2005–2009 Singapore Rebel Banned for being a political film, which is not allowed in Singapore. In 2009 the film was reviewed by the Political Films Consultative Committee (PFCC) and unbanned, with an M18 rating.[19]
2006 Shortbus Banned because of pornographic content.[6]
2007 Following Desire Banned for "excessive sexual acts and stage performances of a sexual nature which are prolonged, gratuitous and exploitative".[20]
2007 Zahari's 17 Years Banned because, according to the Government of Singapore, it is "against public interests".[21]
2008 A Jihad for Love Banned for discussing the relationship between Islam & homosexuality and featuring homosexual Muslims discussing intolerance they’ve faced within their religious communities.[20]
2008 David the Tolhidan Banned for its "sympathetic portrayal of an organisation viewed as a terrorist organisation by many countries".[20]
2008 Arabs and Terrorism Banned for its "sympathetic portrayal of an organisation viewed as a terrorist organisation by many countries".[20]
2008 Bakushi Banned for its "several prolonged and explicit sado-masochistic sequences, demonstrating how the rope masters tied up nude women and subjected them to various degrees of physical abuse and sexual degradation, for the erotic gratification of their audience".[20]
2009 Female Games Banned for its "explicit lesbian sex acts".[20]
2009 Boy Banned because it "romanticizes and promotes homosexual relationships. The sexual sequence is prolonged, intense and titillates".[20]
2009 Brides of Allah Banned because it "promotes and justifies the act of terrorism, and uses religion to justify its cause".[20]
2009 Transgressor (School of the Holy Beast) Banned because it "portrayed nuns as lesbians with depictions of sadomasochism as well as bondage in many of the scenes".[20]
2010 Dr Lim Hock Siew Banned due to similar reasons for the film Zahari's 17 Years[22]
2012 Sex.Violence.FamilyValues Banned because of Porn Masala, the second story in Ken Kwek's compendium of three short films. It was deemed "racially offensive and demeaning to Indians" by the Board of Film Censors.[23] The ban was subsequently lifted and the film's Singapore version released with edits in March 2013.[24] However, the film had not completed its Singapore theatrical run when it was banned by the Malaysian Board of Film Censors, who found it "obscene" and "insulting to local cultures".[25] The film was also withdrawn from the ASEAN International Film Festival & Awards, where it was due to be screened from 28–30 Mar 2013.[26]
2013 Vishwaroopam
Main article: Controversial issues surrounding Vishwaroopam
For the depiction of the War on Terror, perceived as a negative portrayal of Muslims. It was later released with a NC16 rating.
2014 To Singapore, With Love Banned because it allegedly undermined national security as "the individuals in the film have given distorted and untruthful accounts of how they came to leave Singapore and remain outside Singapore," and that "a number of these self-professed 'exiles' were members of, or had provided support to, the proscribed Communist Party of Malaya."[27]
2021 Benedetta Banned for "its portrayal of Jesus Christ and members of the church in a manner that is insensitive and offensive to the Christian and Catholic faith".[28]
2022 The Kashmir Files Banned "for its provocative and one-sided portrayal of Muslims and the depictions of Hindus being persecuted in the on-going conflict in Kashmir".[29]
2022 #LookAtMe Banned as it "contains content that denigrates a religious community and has the potential to cause enmity and social division in Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society"[30][31][32]
2024 Small Hours Of The Night Banned because the film involves a real 1980s court case involving a political dissident's tombstone in Singapore. IMDA has assessed the film to be "prejudicial to national interests". [33]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Gratuitous gore and sex". www.iol.co.za. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Perspective Film Festival 2011 Brochure". Archived from the original on 21 December 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
  3. ^ Tan, Jeanette (11 October 2011). "'A Clockwork Orange' to premiere at S'pore film fest". Yahoo!. Yahoo! Singapore. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  4. ^ "The Exorcist on Film Classification Database". Info-communications Media Development Authority. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  5. ^ "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Film Classification Database". Info-communications Media Development Authority. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b Beaney, Harriet. "Controversial Cinema: Top 10 Banned Films". Berlin Film Journal. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  7. ^ "10 Banned Films - ShortList Magazine". ShortList Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  8. ^ Mathews, Kevin (6 May 2014). "An Evening With John Cleese". MediaCorp. TODAY. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  9. ^ Davis, Laura (5 October 2010). "BANNED: THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMS". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  10. ^ Cannibal Holocaust (1980) - IMDb, retrieved 20 December 2022
  11. ^ Suk-Wai, Cheong (29 March 2006). "Saint Elsewhere". Life!. The Straits Times. p. 5.
  12. ^ Davis, Laura (5 October 2010). "BANNED: THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMS". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  13. ^ "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2". IMDB. Archived from the original on 9 April 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  14. ^ Tan, Dawn Wei (19 July 2014). "Public bodies' role in a plural society". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  15. ^ Savlov, Marc (18 May 2009). "'Jane! Stop This Crazy Thing!' (The Downside to Galaxy Highland Theater's New Robotic Seats) – Five Films We Don't Want to See in D-Box". Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Singapore bans US comedy film". BBC News. 8 February 2002.
  17. ^ "Zoolander on Films Classification Database". Info-communications Media Development Authority. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  18. ^ "Singapore censor passes Brokeback". BBC News. 15 February 2006. Archived from the original on 21 November 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
  19. ^ "Censor okays political film". Straits Times. 12 September 2009. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i "9 Films Banned in Singapore". Singapore Press Holdings. AsiaOne. 1 October 2010. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  21. ^ "Singapore is banning a film about a former political detainee who was held for 17 years without trial to protect public interests, the government said". Reuters. 12 April 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  22. ^ "Censors ban Martyn See's film on Dr Lim Hock Sie". Channel NewsAsia. 12 July 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  23. ^ Shibani Mahtani (23 October 2012). "Singapore Bans Film, Director Vows Appeal". WSJ. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  24. ^ Chun Han Wong (26 February 2013). "Once-Banned Film Opens in Singapore Soon". WSJ. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  25. ^ "Sex. Violence. FamilyValues banned in M'sia". Yahoo Entertainment Singapore. 21 March 2013. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  26. ^ "Sex. Violence earns Malaysia ban". Filmbiz.asia. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  27. ^ "To Singapore, With Love on Film Classification Database". Info-communications Media Development Authority. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  28. ^ "Info-communications Media Development Authority". imdaonline.imda.gov.sg. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  29. ^ "'Provocative and one-sided': The Kashmir Files movie banned in Singapore". CNA. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  30. ^ "IMDA's Classification Information for #LookAtMe". Infocomm Media Development Authority. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  31. ^ "Local film #LookAtMe barred from screening in Singapore over potential to cause social division". CNA. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  32. ^ "IMDA refuses classification for local film #LookAtMe for denigrating religious community". TODAY. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  33. ^ Merican, Sara (1 November 2024). "Daniel Hui's 'Small Hours Of The Night' Screening Pulled From Singapore Film Festival After Classification Refusal". Deadline. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
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