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INDEX ON CENSORSHIP   |   VOL.53   |   NO.2 Up Front EDITOR’S LETTER Lights, camera, (red) action Index is going to the movies and exploring who determines what we see on screen, writes Sally Gimson AS THE FIGHT for control of the global narrative rages on social media and in the dark corners of the internet, it is easy to forget that old 20th century phenomenon: film. Movies are alive and kicking, and giant streaming sites are bringing them into our homes to watch whenever we feel the urge. Hollywood and US filmmakers still dominate the world stage and have a disproportionate influence on the global story. But as we discover in this issue there are plenty of governments keen to control what movie-watchers see and filmmakers produce, not only in their own countries but across the world. Saudi Arabia, as JP O’Malley and Mark Stimpson report, is pumping enormous sums of money into the international movie industry, paying Hollywood stars to come to their film festivals and building huge modern studios with the most up to date technology. Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is clearly hoping that he can follow his success in sportswashing with filmwashing. Meanwhile as author and expert Erich Schwartzel tells new CEO (and exIndex editor-in-chief) Jemimah Steinfeld, China is also trying to make a splash in the movie world. It threw large sums into Hollywood blockbusters like Kung Fu Panda 3 and Mission: Impossible III, ensuring that these films gave a positive view of the Middle Kingdom. While some films paid for by China have been great successes, China has not really found its own movie-making groove. But with large investments in the Hollywood supply chains and an enormous domestic market, China’s future ambitions to tell their story to the world should not be underestimated. Over China’s southern border in India, President Narendra Modi is allowing Hindu nationalists to bully Bollywood into censoring films which show Muslims in a moderate light. He’s also encouraging filmmakers to make movies which play into his nationalist playbook. Our South Asia editor Salil Tripathi has the story and remembers fondly when Bollywood reflected a more tolerant, religiously integrated India. In our features section we have an exclusive investigation into censorship and school libraries in the UK. More than half of school librarians we surveyed said they had been asked to remove books and told us they had come under pressure from parents and some teachers to ban certain titles. The most disturbing part of the story is that one library service worker said she was not even offering books about LGBT+ issues to schools with large Muslim populations. I also worry that lots of librarians Index talked to were frightened to speak openly. Look out for our short story by Kaya Genç about the most sensitive (read: censored) film in the world and some provocative pieces in our comment section including by award-winning Turkish journalist Can Dündar. Finally, do read Jemimah’s Global View. It gives you an idea of what she wants to do as chief executive. By the autumn, Index should also have a new editor. It’s been a pleasure to work with our amazing team to see this magazine through to publication. Sally Gimson is acting editor at Index 53(02):1/1|DOI:10.1177/03064220241274921 F R O N T C O V E R C R E D I T: A a s t h a Blending pop culture and tradition Our cover has been inspired by traditional hand-painted Bollywood posters, an artform that is dying out AASTHA, WHO HAS designed our cover, is a Delhi-based visual artist. She has been crafting art since the age of five when she won a national painting competition. Her artistic journey has since been shaped by her studies in English literature, art history, and motion graphics design, blending pop culture and traditional Indian elements to offer unique social commentary. Inspired by Mughal miniatures, Rajasthani art and traditional paintings, her style combines historic references with modern flair. Aastha’s characters embody the elegance, grace and stylisation of Bani Thani by Nihal Chand, a work she deeply admires. Drawing inspiration from real women and conversations, her art reacts to the world around her, transforming themes and ideas into vibrant, thoughtprovoking pieces. INDEXONCENSORSHIP.ORG   1

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INDEX ON CENSORSHIP   |   VOL.53   |   NO.2

Up Front

EDITOR’S LETTER

Lights, camera, (red) action

Index is going to the movies and exploring who determines what we see on screen, writes Sally Gimson

AS THE FIGHT for control of the global narrative rages on social media and in the dark corners of the internet, it is easy to forget that old 20th century phenomenon: film.

Movies are alive and kicking, and giant streaming sites are bringing them into our homes to watch whenever we feel the urge. Hollywood and US filmmakers still dominate the world stage and have a disproportionate influence on the global story. But as we discover in this issue there are plenty of governments keen to control what movie-watchers see and filmmakers produce, not only in their own countries but across the world.

Saudi Arabia, as JP O’Malley and Mark Stimpson report, is pumping enormous sums of money into the international movie industry, paying Hollywood stars to come to their film festivals and building huge modern studios with the most up to date technology. Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is clearly hoping that he can follow his success in sportswashing with filmwashing.

Meanwhile as author and expert Erich Schwartzel tells new CEO (and exIndex editor-in-chief) Jemimah Steinfeld, China is also trying to make a splash in the movie world. It threw large sums into Hollywood blockbusters like Kung Fu Panda 3 and Mission: Impossible III, ensuring that these films gave a positive view of the Middle Kingdom. While some films paid for by China have been great successes, China has not really found its own movie-making groove. But with large investments in the Hollywood supply chains and an enormous domestic market, China’s future ambitions to tell their story to the world should not be underestimated.

Over China’s southern border in India, President Narendra Modi is allowing Hindu nationalists to bully Bollywood into censoring films which show Muslims in a moderate light. He’s also encouraging filmmakers to make movies which play into his nationalist playbook. Our South Asia editor Salil Tripathi has the story and remembers fondly when Bollywood reflected a more tolerant, religiously integrated India.

In our features section we have an exclusive investigation into censorship and school libraries in the UK. More than half of school librarians we surveyed said they had been asked to remove books and told us they had come under pressure from parents and some teachers to ban certain titles. The most disturbing part of the story is that one library service worker said she was not even offering books about LGBT+ issues to schools with large Muslim populations. I also worry that lots of librarians Index talked to were frightened to speak openly.

Look out for our short story by Kaya Genç about the most sensitive (read: censored) film in the world and some provocative pieces in our comment section including by award-winning Turkish journalist Can Dündar.

Finally, do read Jemimah’s Global View. It gives you an idea of what she wants to do as chief executive. By the autumn, Index should also have a new editor. It’s been a pleasure to work with our amazing team to see this magazine through to publication.

Sally Gimson is acting editor at Index

53(02):1/1|DOI:10.1177/03064220241274921

F R O N T

C O V E R

C R E D I

T:

A a s t h a

Blending pop culture and tradition

Our cover has been inspired by traditional hand-painted Bollywood posters, an artform that is dying out

AASTHA, WHO HAS designed our cover, is a Delhi-based visual artist. She has been crafting art since the age of five when she won a national painting competition. Her artistic journey has since been shaped by her studies in English literature, art history, and motion graphics design, blending pop culture and traditional Indian elements to offer unique social commentary. Inspired by Mughal miniatures,

Rajasthani art and traditional paintings, her style combines historic references with modern flair. Aastha’s characters embody the elegance, grace and stylisation of Bani Thani by Nihal Chand, a work she deeply admires. Drawing inspiration from real women and conversations, her art reacts to the world around her, transforming themes and ideas into vibrant, thoughtprovoking pieces.

INDEXONCENSORSHIP.ORG   1

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