CBFC censors hijab-burning scene in 'Seed of the Sacred Fig'
What's the story
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) recently demanded edits for Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's political thriller, The Seed of the Sacred Fig.
While some changes were standard procedures like disclaimers about smoking and subtitle additions, one particular demand has stirred controversy.
The CBFC has removed scenes depicting hijab-burning, an act symbolizing resistance in Iran's 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement.
Insider's perspective
'The removal of the scenes is disappointing'
An insider close to the Indian distribution team was disappointed with CBFC's decision.
They told Mid-Day, "We anticipated little resistance because the scenes must be viewed in the right context."
"Those moments are central to the story, symbolizing the spirit of rebellion that the film seeks to highlight. Given the current climate, CBFC was cautious about potential backlash but cutting these scenes will feel like a compromise on artistic integrity."
Production hurdles
'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' faced challenges during production
Shot secretly in Iran, The Seed of the Sacred Fig has received international acclaim, winning awards at Cannes and other major film festivals.
Producer Jean-Christophe Simon opened up about the challenges they faced during production, with Screen Daily.
"Shooting felt like a thriller. There were moments when crew members had to pretend that they were working on an entirely different film, just to evade authorities," he revealed.
Rasoulof fled Iran, evading an eight-year prison sentence linked to the film.
Censorship impact
Censorship demands seen as 'ironic' and potentially diluting
While some see the CBFC's decision as a pragmatic step, others worried it could dilute the film's impact.
A team member associated with post-production called it "ironic." "The story is about a judge navigating a system of control; yet the film itself faces censorship at every turn," they said.
Other changes include standard smoking disclaimers throughout the film, deletion of certain words from English subtitles, and changes to nearly two minutes of scenes.
Its release date isn't out yet.