Kenya Film Classification Board
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The Kenya Film Classification Board (abbreviated as KFCB) is a state corporation that operates under the
Government of Kenya , image = , caption = Coat of arms of Kenya , date = 1963 , jurisdiction = Republic of Kenya , url = http://www.mygov.go.ke/ , legislature = Parliament of Kenya , meeting_place = ...
whose mandate is to "regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution and exhibition of films by rating them." The Board was founded in 1963 with the commencement of the laws outlined in the Films and Stage Plays Act of 1962 (Section 11) and has since involved itself in the rating and classification of
film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
s and
television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, e ...
mes. More recently, it has caused controversy by banning several films, such as the American box office success '' The Wolf of Wall Street'', the Kenyan film '' Stories of Our Lives'',
Rafiki is a 2018 Kenyan drama film directed by Wanuri Kahiu. ''Rafiki'' is the story of romance that grows between two young women, Kena and Ziki, amidst family and political pressures around LGBT rights in Kenya. The film had its international prem ...
, and the 2015 film ''
Fifty Shades of Grey ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first instalment in the ''Fifty Shades'' novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, ...
'' based on the novel of the same name. The Board has also regulated television content, including
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s.


Formation

The Kenya Film Classification Board was established by the Films and Stage Plays Act of 1962 which came into force in 1963, mainly to regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution and exhibition of films by examining them for content, imposing age restrictions and giving consumer advice about various films. The Act gives the Board the power to approve or refuse to approve films and posters. The Act also states that approval is not to be granted to films that, in the Board's opinion, "prejudice the maintenance of public order or offend decency, or... reundesirable in the public interest. In addition, the Kenya Information and Communications Amendment Act of 2013 gives the Board the mandate to monitor television stations in order to "ensure content meant for adult audiences is not aired during watershed period (5am – 10pm)."


Activities

The Board primarily classifies and rates films by examining them and giving them a 'certificate of approval' along with its rating of 0 to 4. This scale indicates the 'impact' of the film: "low", "mild", "moderate" or "strong". This then corresponds to the general rating of the film: GE (general exhibition), PG (parental guidance recommended), 16 (not suitable for persons under the age of 16) and 18 (not suitable for persons under the age of 18). After the certificate of approval is issued, the classification officer records the name of the film, its country of origin, rating and the date of rating and publishes the information in the KFCB classification catalogue. The Board's other activities include licensing film distributors in the country by granting film regulatory licenses to the distributors, and checking for violation of the terms of the license, including "license expiry, sale of unrated movies, sale/showing of restricted movies and misuse of classification labels."


Classification guidelines

*General exhibition: The content is suitable for general family viewing, as it does not contain content that could be considered harmful or disturbing to children. The content may be viewed by people of all ages. **Themes must be suitable for all ages. **Violence must be portrayed mildly, and the occasional mild threat or menace is acceptable if justified by context. **Sex or sexual preference of any kind must not be presented. **Nudity is not allowed. **Language must not be coarse or
obscene An obscenity is any utterance or act that strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time. It is derived from the Latin ''obscēnus'', ''obscaenus'', "boding ill; disgusting; indecent", of uncertain etymology. Such loaded language can be use ...
. **Drugs presented must not be illegal, and no references to illegal drugs may be made. **Horror should be non-threatening and humorous. Should have only mild, non-disturbing fright scenes. *PG (Parental Guidance): Content may be watched by everyone, however, parents are advised to monitor the content when being watched by children under 10 years. **Themes should have a low sense of threat or menace, and attention should be paid to their potential impact on children. **Violence may be portrayed moderately, if justified by context. **Sex may be implied, with only mild references to sexual activity (e.g.
kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
ing and
hug A hug is a form of endearment, universal in most human communities, in which two or more people put their arms around the neck, back, or waist of one another and hold each other closely. If more than two people are involved, it may be referre ...
ging) **Nudity must be "discreet" and "fleeting" when depicting a side profile. Must be infrequent when portraying the front or upper body, and then only in a non-sexual context. **Drugs that are illegal may have a discreet reference made to them as long as the drug use is not endorsed. **Horror portrayed should not be prolonged or intense. *16: These films are restricted to those above 16 years. **Themes portrayed may be mature, as long as they are "treated with discretion". **Violence is allowed if not prolonged or detailed. Sexual violence is not allowed. **Sex must neither be explicit or prolonged. **Nudity should be infrequent, brief, discreet and justified by context. **Drugs may be present if the film as a whole does not promote illegal drug use. **Horror may be more prolonged and frightening than previous categories. *18: These films are restricted to those above 18 years. **Themes portrayed and explored can be mature. **Violence and gore can be portrayed realistically if not "excessive, gratuitous or exploitative". **Sex may be explicitly portrayed if justifiable by context. **Nudity is allowed, as long as there is no close-up view of genitalia. **Language may be coarse and offensive if not "used excessively". **Drugs may be depicted as long as illegal drug use is not endorsed. **Horror may be prolonged and evoke intense fear. *Restricted/banned: The content may not be viewed by anyone, as they "may contain materials that erode the moral fabric of society rundermine the national interest". **Themes promoted denigrate a race or religion, glorify undesirable behaviour such as
pedophilia Pedophilia ( alternatively spelt paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puberty a ...
, or "glamorize a
homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
lifestyle." **Violence and cruelty is extreme and detailed, and may contain instructions on methods of crime or killings. **Sex is exploitative, pornographic or "depicts unnatural acts" such as bestiality. **Nudity is exploitative and excessive. **Drugs are illegal and their consumption is encouraged.


Controversies

The Kenya Film Classification Board has banned several movies, videos and other content under the leadership of CEO Ezekiel Mutua, leading to concerns that it may be overstepping its boundaries The Board has been accused of imposing
censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
in Kenya, notably when it termed the advent of American streaming company
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
into Kenya a "threat to national security" and a "threat to Kenyan moral values". The Board banned the American movie '' The Wolf of Wall Street'', stating as its reasons the film's "extreme scenes of nudity, sex, debauchery, hedonism and cursing". On their
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page, the Board stated, "there is a limit to everything and we believe the Kenyan public deserves better. olf of Wall Streethas been restricted. The film is not for sale, exhibition or distribution in Kenya. Violators shall be prosecuted." Following the release of Kenyan film '' Stories of Our Lives'' depicting Kenya's
LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...
community, the Board issued a ruling which effectively banned the film for "obscenity, explicit scenes of sexual activities and or promotinghomosexuality, which is contrary to enya'snational norms and values." The producers of the film subsequently criticised the Board, stating, "We made this film to ave anopen dialogue about identities, what it means to be Kenyan and what it means to be different. By placing a restriction on this film, the Board has chosen to delay this inevitable conversation." The producers further asked how "exactly...restricting a film, thus stifling a necessary conversation about society, safeguard the national values and norms" and commented that the ban had increased awareness on the film, leading Kenyans to demand that they see the film. The Board also banned American film ''
Fifty Shades of Grey ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first instalment in the ''Fifty Shades'' novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, ...
'' based on the novel of the same name citing as its reasons "prolonged and explicit sexual scenes depicting women as sexual slaves." The ban attracted protests by Kenyan activists, who said that the ban was a restriction on freedom of speech and "deeply worrying". In 2016, Kenyan music group Art Attack released a remix video of the song
Same Love Same may refer to: * Sameness or identity Places * Same (Homer), an island mentioned by Homer in the ''Odyssey'' * Same (polis), an ancient city * Same, East Timor Same ( ) is a town in the Same administrative post in the interior of East ...
by American hip hop duo
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are an American hip hop duo from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2008 by Macklemore, a rapper,Trust, Gary (2013)Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 'Can't Hold Us' Makes Hot 100 History, ''Billboard'', May 8, 2013. Retrieved January ...
depicting the life of LGBT persons in Kenya. They uploaded the video directly to
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
and did not present it for rating by the KFCB. In response, the KFCB banned the video, citing that it "has graphic sexual scenes between people of the same gender as well as depiction of nudity and pornography" and requested that
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take it down from YouTube. However, Google Kenya refused to take it down, saying that they did not have the authority to remove the video. Google's office in
Mountain View, California Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. Named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, it has a population of 82,376. Mountain View was integral to the early history and growth of Silicon Valley, and is the ...
also refused to take down the video but flagged it, deeming it as "potentially inappropriate". KFCB also banned beer and contraceptive advertisements that do not have the approval of the board, as well as any such advertisements from airing during the 'watershed period' of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The ban was extended to "advertisements and commercials that feature sexual innuendos and sexually suggestive scenes", as well as those that "glamorise lifestyles and behaviours such as homosexuality, promiscuity and juvenile delinquency". The KFCB used the rationale to ban a
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
advertisement containing a passionate kissing scene on the grounds that it "violated family values".
The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, ...
agreed to replace the advertisement. In June 2017, the KCFB ordered a ban on six cartoons airing on
Cartoon Network Africa Cartoon Network is one of two digital children's television channels that air animated series: Cartoon Network Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which serves the Middle East and North Africa division along with Cyprus; and Cartoon Network ...
,
Nickelodeon Africa Nickelodeon (commonly shortened as Nick) is a South African 24-hour television channel owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. The channel was launched on July 1, 2008. North Africa receives the Arabic-language version of the channel Nickelodeon MEN ...
and Nicktoons Africa for allegedly promoting LGBT themes to minors. The shows affected are the currently-running Cartoon Network shows ''
Adventure Time ''Adventure Time'' is an American fantasy animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn (Jeremy Shada) and ...
'', ''
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'' and ''
Steven Universe ''Steven Universe'' is an American animated series, animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe (character), Steven Universe (Zach Callison), who li ...
'', in addition to the already-ended Nickelodeon shows ''
Hey Arnold! ''Hey Arnold!'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Craig Bartlett. It originally aired on Nickelodeon from October 7, 1996, to June 8, 2004. The show centers on fourth grader Arnold Shortman, who lives with his grandpare ...
'' and ''
The Legend of Korra ''The Legend of Korra'' (abbreviated as TLOK), also known as ''Avatar: The Legend of Korra'' or simply ''Korra'', is an American anime-influenced animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelode ...
'', and the currently-running Nickelodeon cartoon ''
The Loud House ''The Loud House'' is an American animated television series created by Chris Savino that premiered on Nickelodeon on May 2, 2016. The series revolves around the chaotic everyday life of a boy named Lincoln Loud, who is the middle child and only so ...
'' (These shows have not been banned, as Cartoon Network still shows these shows, but at night) In April 2018, the Kenya Film Classification Board banned a film ''
Rafiki is a 2018 Kenyan drama film directed by Wanuri Kahiu. ''Rafiki'' is the story of romance that grows between two young women, Kena and Ziki, amidst family and political pressures around LGBT rights in Kenya. The film had its international prem ...
'' due to alleged homosexual themes depicted in its content. The ban was criticised for stifling Kenyans' creativity, particularly because the film was notable for having been the first Kenyan film to be selected to air at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.


See also

* Kenya Film Commission


References

{{authority control
Film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
Film organisations in Kenya Broadcasting in Kenya Television in Kenya