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The following is a list of films banned in the Philippines. This list includes films which were banned for public screening in the Philippines by law by virtue of being given an "X" or "Banned" rating or by being deemed "not fit for public exhibition" by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

List[edit]

Feature films[edit]

Date Film Years active Notes
1938 Batang Tulisan N/A For the depiction of a priest in a villainous role and usage of a hypodermic syringe as a murder tool.[1]
1940 Chapayev N/A For promoting Communist ideology.[1]
1965 Iginuhit ng Tadhana N/A Banned during the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal for featuring then-Senator Ferdinand Marcos, who was Macapagal's main political opponent.[2]
1977 Hubad na Bayani N/A The film, released during the martial law era, depicted the human rights violations during the Marcos regime. President Marcos banned the film from showing theatrically, which led to the establishment of a tradition of protesting naked, which became known as the Oblation Run.[2]
1980 The Shining 1980-2018 It was rated X after its initial release. However, it was lifted and changed to R-16 to endure the audiences.[3]
1980 Cannibal Holocaust 1980 Banned due to its extremely violent content and actual on-screen killings of animals.[4]
1988 The Last Temptation of Christ 1988-permanent For its alleged anti-religion theme.[5]
1989 Dear Uncle Sam N/A For its critical stance towards American military presence in the Philippines. The Americans at that time maintained bases in Clark and Subic.[5]
1989 Orapronobis N/A For its progressive and subversive message regarding the government of President Corazon Aquino.[5][2]
1993 Schindler's List 1993-1994 Initially banned for scenes involving humping and nudity involving the film's lead actors which was viewed as "pornographic" by the MTRCB.[5] The ban was overturned in 1994[6] with the film's historical merits cited as a reason.[5]
1993 The Piano 1993-1994 Banned due to alleged sex scene.[6]
1994 Natural Born Killers Permanent Banned due to extreme violence and gruesome images.[2]
1996 The Bridges of Madison County N/A Given an "X" rating by the MTRCB due to a scene of partial nudity involving the character portrayed by lead actress Meryl Streep. The MTRCB has stated that it could reclassify the film as rated R if the offending scene was cut from the film for screening in the Philippines.[6]
1999 Butakal: Sugapa sa Laman N/A The MTRCB ordered a ban on the film loosely based on the Chiong murder case, following an appeal by the Chiong family to President Joseph Estrada and the filing of an injunction that led to the MTRCB reversing its initial permit for release with an R-rating. This led to a protracted legal case after the film's director, Federico Natividad, sued the MTRCB for not returning the film's master copy when it ordered its seizure as part of an administrative review, which was finally resolved in 2007 in favor of Natividad by the Supreme Court, which nevertheless upheld the ban on the film's showing.[7]
2000 Live Show Permanent MTRCB's permission for the film to be screened was rescinded by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2001 after Cardinal Jaime Sin and other local Roman Catholic leaders lobbied for the ban. The film tackles the plight of poor Filipino boys and girls resorting to featuring in sex shows in Manila as a means of livelihood.[8][9] The film was permanently banned from exhibition in theaters.[10]
2003 Imelda N/A Initially banned, after Imelda Marcos, on whom the biopic is based, filed a lawsuit[11] which was later cancelled
2006 Ang Mabuhay para sa Masa N/A Produced, directed, and starring former President Joseph Estrada while he was detained for one of his many plunder cases. It was banned for challenging the rule of President Arroyo, who succeeded him after he was ousted in the second EDSA Revolution.[2] It alleged that the Catholic Church cooperated with prominent business leaders to depose Estrada. It was banned by the MTRCB for "libelous and false" content.[12]
2006 The Da Vinci Code Permanent
Main article: The Da Vinci Code in the Philippines
2008 Aurora N/A Producers applied to have the film classified as R-18 due to be geared towards a mature audience. Given by a "double X" rating by the MTRCB due to an alleged rape scene.[13]
2009 Antichrist Permanent Banned due to explicit sexual and misogynistic violent content involving castration.[14][better source needed]
2009 Brüno 2009 A mockumentary film was banned due to homosexual obscenity, before was lifted and heavily cut by MTRCB as R-18 rated.[15]
2012 Innocence of Muslims N/A An independent film which caused widespread protest by Muslims worldwide due to depicting Islam's prophet Muhammad in a negative light. The Supreme Court ordered the MTRCB to ban the public screening of the film.[16]
2017 Bliss 2017 Although it was originally rated due to its depiction of excessive sex and violence, Tarog confirmed that the film had been reevaluated to an "R-18" rating without cuts.[17]
2019 Abominable Permanent Banned due to the appearance of a map featuring the nine-dash line which depicts the South China Sea as part of China's territory in a scene. The Philippines claims Spratlys and Scarborough Shoal as its territory which is also claimed by China and other neighboring countries. See also: South China Sea dispute[18]
2019 Metamorphosis N/A A Cinema One Originals entry which featured intersex people. It was given an X rating for its "daring" scenes which were found to be sensitive content by the MTRCB,[19] particularly a "masturbation" scene and exposure of genitals. The film was reviewed again by the MTRCB by another set of people and it was reclassified as an R-16 film taking in to consideration the whole context of the film. No re-edits or cut were made on the film.[20]
2021 Paglaki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar N/A On January 14, 2021 the comedy drama film was rated X by the MTRCB due to sexual content and indecent language, deeming it unfit for public viewing.[21]
2022 Uncharted Permanent Banned due to the appearance of a treasure map featuring the nine-dash line found in the underground scene, which depicts the South China Sea as part of China's territory, which is similar to the 2019 animated film Abominable.[22]
2024 Chasing Tuna In The Ocean Permanent Banned due to the scenes showing the nine-dash line in the South China Sea claimed by China as its territory.[23]

Short films[edit]

Date Film Notes
2010 Ganito tayo ngayon, Paano na tayo bukas? Short film part of ABS-CBN's AmBisyon series. The film follows a newspaper; from the time of its delivery to a homeowner to the time it was used to wipe off feces from a foot of a cart-pushing vendor. The particular newspaper used a controversial January 2010 issue which featured the economic achievements of then-President Arroyo. The film was given an "X" rating by the MTRCB for "undermining the faith and confidence of the people in government."[24]
2010 Ayos Ka? Short film part of ABS-CBN's AmBisyon series. The short film is a music video which featured a hopeful soundtrack juxtaposed with imagery of poverty, illegal drug use, prostitution, and murder. The MTRCB gave the film an "X" rating "injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines and its people."[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Conti, Luigi (December 12, 2014). "Censorship, History, and Philippine Cinema: The Ethics of MTRCB". Academia. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e Anri Ichimura (October 2, 2019). "15 Most Controversial and Banned Films in the Philippines That You Have to Watch". Esquire Magazine PH. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  3. ^ The Shining (1980) - IMDb, retrieved May 5, 2022
  4. ^ Cannibal Holocaust (1980) - IMDb, retrieved December 20, 2022
  5. ^ a b c d e "MTRCB heads that said "Cut!"". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal. September 21, 2007. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c de Ramos, Abe (August 29, 1995). "Manila bans 'Bridges of Madison County'". United Press International, Inc. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "SC bars film on Chiong case". GMA News. December 27, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Freedom of Expression and the Media in the Philippines (PDF). Article19, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. December 2005. p. 44. ISBN 1902598806. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  9. ^ "Arroyo bans film at insistence of Philippines Catholic hierarchy". World Socialist Web Site. April 23, 2001. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  10. ^ Villanueva, Marichu (April 4, 2001). "Live Show Now a Dead Show". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  11. ^ Burr, Ty (August 6, 2004). "A walk in the shoes of Imelda Marcos". Boston.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  12. ^ Romero, Paolo (January 11, 2007). "MTRCB lifts ban on Erap bio-flick". Philstar.com. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  13. ^ Galicia, Loui (February 3, 2009). "Pinoy filmmakers face issue of censorship back home". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  14. ^ Antichrist (2009) - IMDb, retrieved September 27, 2022
  15. ^ Brüno (2009) - IMDb, retrieved May 20, 2021
  16. ^ Torres, Tetch (September 25, 2012). "SC bans showing of anti-Islam film". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  17. ^ "MTRCB reclassifies Jerrold Tarog's 'Bliss' as R-18". RAPPLER. April 5, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  18. ^ "MTRCB: 'Abominable' off Philippine theaters since Tuesday". The Philippine Star. October 18, 2019. Archived from the original on November 22, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  19. ^ Aguilar, Krissy (November 7, 2019). "MTRCB gives 'Metamorphosis' X rating". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  20. ^ Aguilar, Krissy (November 7, 2019). "Uncut 'Metamorphosis' reclassified to R-16". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  21. ^ "Archived copy". Facebook. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ "Philippines pulls Hollywood action flick from cinemas over South China Sea map". CNN. Reuters. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  23. ^ "MTRCB bans film 'Chasing Tuna In The Ocean' over China's nine-dash line". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Short film critical of GMA rated X by MTRCB". ABS-CBN News. March 26, 2010. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_banned_in_the_Philippines

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