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Director to sue Film and Publication Board

Cape Town – XT Qubeka, director of controversial film Of Good Report, wants to sue the Film and Publication Board (FPB) for defamation after labelling his film as child pornography, reports EWN.

The film was unbanned on Saturday by the FPB Appeal Tribunal and screened at the Durban International Film Festival on Sunday.

Qubeka, who was honoured with an award for artistic bravery at the festival, said the FPB should admit they were wrong in labeling his film as child pornography.

He said that being associated with pornography is "a death to one’s career".

The controversial scene in Of Good Report shows the first sexual encounter between Parker Sithole, a schoolteacher, and Nolitha, a 16-year-old schoolgirl with whom he has an affair. Petronella Tshuma, 23, plays the part of Nolitha.

Under the Film and Publications Act of 1996 (amended in 2009), the Film and Publication Board (FPB) classifiers are required to stop watching a film the moment they see depictions of sex with someone under the age of 18.

The FPB said it was "very disappointed and saddened" by the move to set aside its decision by its appeals tribunal.

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