New rule could mean a straight cut

Yet another BICMA (Bhutan InfoComm & Media Authority) diktat has put filmmakers in a quandary of sorts.

The new rule states that prior to shooting a film, producers have to sign an undertaking letter affixed with a legal stamp and bearing a witness signature. Filmmakers claim the undertaking gives needless discretion to the members of the film review board who could misuse the rule and ask filmmakers to reshoot the entire film.

The film review board normally issues a certificate authorizing the screening of the film to the public. The review board comprises people from various backgrounds, and one can expect a variety of comments and suggestions from broad members.

Filmmakers say the new rule gives unrestrained powers to review board members.

“If one member in the board dislikes something in the film, he/she can invoke the undertaking to redo the entire film,” said a producer who didn’t want to be named. “Sometimes, a single comment can change the entire structure of a film.”

When people in the film industry took their grievances to the Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB), the general secretary of MPAB wrote to BICMA to reconsider its new rule. BICMA, however, reportedly responded saying it is empowered by the Media Act to frame such ad hoc regulations.

Filmmakers are distraught. They say they are now totally under the control of BICMA. They say their creative freedom could be compromised as they fulfill the obligations of BICMA.

Filmmakers say they are already working under difficult conditions with very basic resources, given the low budget and the resulting short filming duration as well as the lack of other facilities. Now they feel they cannot even use imagination in their creation. They say they have to work under constant fear of harsh censors that could lead to total loss.

Tshering Penjore, a writer, director and editor, said that BICMA is doing its best to safeguard the country’s culture and tradition and to prevent undesirable content and propaganda from harming the peace and security of our nation.

“However, BICMA should also take into consideration that we are an insignificant number of filmmakers with a market of a maximum of twenty thousand viewers,” he said. “The authorities should rather concentrate on censoring and removing the load of junks (by means of foreign films) that is freely available in the local market, TV, and internet.”

Another filmmaker who wanted to remain anonymous said the new BICMA rule would discourage local filmmakers and indirectly open room for foreign films. “This new undertaking will certainly bring a great amount of negative impact to our film industry,” he said.

The general secretary of MPAB, Sherub Gyeltshen, said such stringent regulations by BICMA might become a fear factor for Bhutanese filmmakers, and even the scriptwriters might write scripts to please the review board, and this might lead to factory-made films discouraging creativity and freedom.

“Some of our priceless contributions to the national goal of GNH are ignored. The Bhutanese film industry has been fighting the most dangerous invasion [the cultural invasion] and we consider this as the greatest achievement. So, I feel that we deserve every support towards the growth of this creative industry,” he said.

The BICMA media spokesperson was not available for comments.

By Pema Tenzin