International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

— 795 THE CINEMA CENSORSHIP IN THE REPUBLIC OF SAN SALVADOR In the Republic of San Salvador, there is no single law dealing solely with cinematographic censorship, but there does exist a general group of regulations (issued on July 26, 1923) on the control to be exercised on public spectacles. The authorization of the censorship commission must be obtained in advance for all kinds of public performances, after which a permit will be granted by the local municipal authorities. Censorship Commission. — The examination of cinema films is entrusted to censorship commissions, formed of a variable number of councillors, according to the number of public places of amusement in the cities or districts where such commissions operate. The censors are nominated by the political governors in the chief towns of departments and the heads of the municipalities in the minor centres of the republic. Once the nominations have taken place, the names of the censors must be notified to the local authorities and to the impressarios of public amusements. In order to be a candidate for the post of censor, the applicant must. 1) be over 25 have a good reputation, and have his residence in the place where the duties of censor are to be exercised ; 2) have sufficient culture and taste to judge the works submitted to him competently; 3) not have any degree of relationship with theatrical or cinema impressarios, nor have capital invested in any such enterprises. The censors remain in office for two years, and are eligible for reelection for a similar term, if they have carried out their duties in a satisfactory manner. In those places where no censorship commissions exist, the work of censoring will be carried out by a municipal councillor chosen by the city council. Rules of Censoring. — The censors must witness an exhibition of the films under consideration and are obliged to make a written report to the Chief of the Municipal Council on its artistic value and on the interest it may arouse in the public. They must then also classify the film it being considered according to the value they place on it, that is N°. 1 , if it is considered excellent, No. 2, if good, and No. 3 if only of medium value, No. 4 if not good, and No. 5, if reprehensible. When the film is ready for public exhibition, the censor must indicate the category assigned on the side of the picture. The basic criteria which guide the censors in judging films are to reject at once films which on account of their immoral content or for the dangerous political ideas they contain are capable of causing more harm than benefit to the public. One censor at least must attend the performances of every show given in the theatre for which he is responsible. The censors are under obligation to see that the regulations are properly enforced, giving notice within 24 hours of every infraction of the laws which they observe. It is also part of their task to see that the cinema operator projects the film in a proper fashion, and they have power to suspend a picture when they see that the projection is not taking place in a technically correct manner. The censorship commission must note in a register kept for the purpose all films examined by them, with indications of the parts composing such films and with a brief note of the same and a comment on the parts censored. The authorization to project a film is given in writing by the Head of the municip 4 Ice ingt.