Zapiro ‘Showerhead’ documentary wins age rating appeal

Creators of The Showerhead – a documentary film which chronicles the life and work of globally recognised political cartoonist, Jonathan Zapiro, have successfully challenged the ‘punitive’ age rating given to the film.

The film, which is scheduled to be released in South Africa on Friday, has been given a lower rating of 13 language and sexual violence.

The creators of the film approached the Appeals Tribunal last week to challenge the initial rating of 16 – language, nudity, prejudice and sexual violence imposed on the film.

Creators challenged this, contending that it was what they referred to as an “abuse of classification powers”, adding that the rating robbed a key audience of the message of the film, which is described as a celebration of the constitutional protection of free speech in a democratic South Africa in the face of intense political pressure.

Creators have since welcomed the change in classification, with Zapiro referring that the initial rating was prudishly restrictive and an under-estimation of teenagers’ ability to understand satire and to engage with difficult issues. 

VIDEO | Zapiro’s documentary ‘The Showerhead’ wins appeal against age rating: