The Wound was initially given a 16LS rating.
However, cinemas soon began to pull the film in regards to its plotline, which centers around a same-sex love story. This led to legislators giving the film an X18 rating, something usually reserved only for hardcore pornography.
At the moment, the movie carries the age rating of 18 SNLVP, which is halfway between the 16LS and X18 ratings, following a ruling from a local judge.
The movie follows a love story of Xolani, a factory worker, and Kwanda, a young man, during the Xhosa initiation ritual of Ulwaluko. However, it’s not just the love story aspect that got some people complaining.
Zwelonke Sigcawu, the king of the amaXhosa people, felt that the movie gave away too much of his people’s private traditions, especially since the initiation rituals for men are unknown to the women.
However, some believe that some people protesting over this plotline is down to homophobia, especially since Long Walk to Freedom, which centered around Nelson Mandela, showed some of these rituals, and didn’t face any complaints because of this.
The producers of the film are currently in court arguing against the rating that the movie has received, because it doesn’t have any adult content that could cause it to get that rating.
The Pretoria High Court has heard from the production team, a representative from the Xhosa initiation process and the local censor. He is expected to give his verdict in the coming days.
The Wound isn’t the only LGBTQ related movie to face difficulties with censors, as Singapore gave Love, Simon an R21 rating. A petition has launched with the aim to get the rating down to a 16.
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