Nahed Nassr reports on the latest conflict between the censor and filmmakers While the establishment engaged with the countdown to the opening of the Cairo International Film Festival, young filmmakers were preparing for the second annual Cairo Independent Film Festival, which was to take place in the period 1-5 December. But less than a week before the opening the organisers were forced to submit the participating film to the censor, something they had not had to do for the first round last year. Kafelat Hala, the institution that organises the event, consquently put off the opening and asked the filmmakers to review their decision to participate in the light of these developments: unless a reasonable number of the 84 films on the programme are approved, the event will be cancelled. Mohammed Abdel-Fattah, festival director, told Al Ahram Weekly that the reasons behind this change in attitude on the part of the establishment remain unknown to him. All over the world, he said, independent films do not require permission from the censor; "that's why they're independent". The decision to impose censorship on the festival, he added, is a step back for the freedom of creative expression. Nor is censorship working to improve the film industry: "One look at the commercial scene in the last few years and you can see what kind of films they release. Movies like Katkoot and Ayazunnu are spoiling taste and that is far more immoral than anything the censors might take issue with. But above all they do not represent the reality of life in Egypt." Over 90 per cent of the independent movies, on the other hand, address the people's problems, dreams and their everyday life. "We are working on a letter to be presented to the Minister of Culture urging him to stand by the freedom of the independent cinema and independent filmmakers in Egypt." The festival organisers have even demanded urgent amendments to the censorship laws: "Those laws were drafted in the 1950s and they do not take into account the information technology revolution in the world today." Besides, Abdel-Fattah believes the festival organisers have exerted themselves to select the best films in terms of quality and content. "Out of up to 200 film presented to us, the selection jury took 84. They have been working on the selection process for four months." Though he expressed sympathy with the head of the censorship bureau Ali Abu Shadi, saying he must be under legal as well as institutional pressure, Abdel-Fattah nonetheless bemoaned the fact that he has failed to act: "Abu-Shadi was not available because he has been abroad, which can only be described as unfortunate." Participating in the official competition were 50 films from 14 countries, with the remaining 34 movies making up four fringe programmes: War Movies, including five films on last year's war on Lebanon; Workshop Movies, with films produced in workshops organised by the Rawabet institution in Darb Al-Ahmar, Alexandria and two workshops held prior to the festival as well as graduation projects; and Documentaries. The festival was to be covered by Melody TV, with a 30-second promotion broadcast frequently in the 10 days building up to it. Effective organisation made the organisers' frustration all the more intense, but it is the rising fear of what they see as suppression of freedom that besets organisers and filmmakers alike, prompting them to condemn the Censorship Authority. Some participants withdrew their work rather than yield to the new conditions. Mona Makram, an independent filmmaker took her film The Journey out of the festival: "I do not accept my freedom to be bound by any means. Otherwise I am no longer independent." Makram believes her production, like that of her colleagues, is an honest representation of the people's everyday life and should depict all aspects of life no matter how vulgar or delicate. "This step means that they are waging a war on the freedom of creativity for the sake of the commercial industry," she insists. "We have to defend the freedom of creativity and we have to keep it really independent. Otherwise it would be the beginning of the end." Makram suggests screening outside Egypt as a possibility for escaping such oppressive procedures. The idea of screening abroad is an option shared by the director of several successful independent films, Ibrahim El-Batouti. Though he is not participating in the festival, Batouti considers the censorial interference as a breakdown of the young filmmakers' efforts and the newborn independent cinema. "Censoring works of art is a procedure that should be completely cancelled. It is unbelievable that we still have such a thing in 2007." For Batouti, freedom of creativity and expression is a right not only of filmmakers but of the audience: "When it comes to art, neither the creators nor the audience are in need of guardians." Along the same lines, film critic Fairda Maari, a member of the Egyptian Film Editor and Critic Association, thinks that censorship has limited Egyptian film production since the 1930s; it should be cancelled in favour of "the artist's conscience". For her part filmmaker Hala Galal, founding member of the independent production institution SEMAT, feels the reaction of filmmakers has been exaggerated and reflects a prejudgment: "I don't see why we should have a negative impression of censorship." For Galal, lack of organisation was an aspect of many previous independent film festivals and public screenings; the role of censorship is important in preventing "the mess". "They even consider mobile phone images films. And this is very dangerous for the future of independent film production." Galal believes censorship protects the audience from what might hurt their feelings: "Children and the handicapped, for example, might be hurt if they see themselves portrayed in certain ways. Galal adds that filmmakers should believe in the good intentions of the Egyptian censor. "There is an obvious change in the censorship attitude towards art. All the participant films in the Caravan Film Festival that was organised recently by SEMAT were licensed by the censor. And after all artistic censorship exists ever where in the world."
