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Afrikaans film rated 'borderline pornographic' by FPB

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Anna’s stepfather, Danie, played by Morne Visser, kicks Anna out of the house when she reveals what has been happening. (Photo Supplied)
Anna’s stepfather, Danie, played by Morne Visser, kicks Anna out of the house when she reveals what has been happening. (Photo Supplied)

Johannesburg - An important new film intended to break the silence around teen sex abuse, based on a book about a true story, which is prescribed in schools, will not be seen by the young South Africans it is all about.

Dis ek, Anna (It’s me, Anna) was slapped with a no under-18 LSV (language and sexual violence) rating ahead of its critically acclaimed premiere at the Durban International Film Festival a few weeks ago.

City Press understands the Film and Publication Board (FPB) referred to the film – in which Anna is repeatedly raped by her stepfather Danie from the age of 12 – as “borderline pornographic”, even though the film’s sex scenes are far from graphic and instead paint a psychological portrait of abuse, both sexual and emotional.

In 2013, at the same film festival, the FPB refused to classify the sugar daddy film Of Good Report, in effect banning it by making it illegal to screen.

That ruling was overturned on appeal – and it’s likely the same will happen with Anna.

As with Of Good Report, the FPB is concerned that the age of the character (but not the actor, who is 17) depicted in sex scenes is younger than the age of consent. Yet this, they say, can no longer be considered child pornography, as a new regulation introduced after the Of Good Report saga allows them to “exempt it for its artistic merit, aesthetic value and context”.

Asked why it was given such a harsh classification when there was no frontal nudity or explicit sex, FPB spokesperson Manala Botolo said: “The overall impact of the film had a strong to very strong psychological impact and we are very sensitive in classification when it comes to scenes of sexual violence, domestic violence and abuse.

“This is due to the fact that South Africa has one of the highest rape stats and we are careful to ensure that younger audiences who have experienced a similar trauma are not retraumatised by such an element.”

But it was precisely this that spurred the film’s producer, Niel van Deventer, and director, Sara Blecher, to make the work, and also what motivated its cast.

“It is an important and very underaddressed issue that we are tackling in this film. If you have a look at the statistics of abuse in this country, you will be shocked,” said Van Deventer.

Blecher, who operated a closed set and built a relationship of trust with young actress Izel Bezuidenhout, said: “There are a huge number of South Africans under 18 affected by abuse. If the plan is to break the silence, the ruling is saying that they cannot talk about it and the silence will be maintained.”

Driki van Zyl, general manager of film distributor Times Media Films, said an appeal was likely.

“We are evaluating possible grounds of appeal, and consulting relevant professional experts in psychology regarding this. We haven’t made a final decision as yet,” she said.

The FPB also has what is known as the ED concession, which, Botolo says, “means that if a teacher or school feels that such a film could be of educational importance, they can motivate this to us and receive the ED exemption, which will allow them to show it to younger viewers with certain conditions applied. For example, the teacher has to be present at all times during the screening of the film.”

The original book was written by Anchien Troskie under the pseudonym Elbie Lötter. She revealed her identity after receiving a flood of letters from readers asking for help because they were also being sexually abused

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