Next week, a critically praised film adaptation of Phoebe Gloeckner’s graphic novel The Diary of a Teenage Girl will land in U.S. cinemas with an R rating for “strong sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity, drug use, language and drinking-all…
Category: International
Salman Rushdie: The World Has “Learned the Wrong Lessons” from Charlie Hebdo
In the wake of the attacks on Charlie Hebdo, some people continue to ask if free speech went too far. Award-winning author, Salman Rushdie, on the other hand says that the world has “learned the wrong lessons,” and out of…
Despite Ban, Manga and Anime Remain Hot Topics on Chinese Social Media
Despite last month’s Chinese ban on dozens of manga and anime series that were said to “encourage juvenile delinquency, glorify violence and include sexual content,” social media users in China are easily circumventing the restrictions by sharing content online. According…
Index on Censorship Provides Resources to Protect Artists in the UK
US citizens are protected by the First Amendment, but in the UK there are several additional laws and practices that are designed to protect free speech but are often misinterpreted, leading to censorship. Whether you’re a British artist or an…
No, Charlie Hebdo Has Not Stopped Printing Mohammed Cartoons
Although international media have widely reported in the past few days that Charlie Hebdo publication director Laurent Sourisseau declared a definitive end to Mohammed cartoons in the satirical magazine, the editorial team clarified today that nothing has changed: They will…
Newly Elected Mayor of Venice Bans 50 Books from Kindergartens
Luigi Brugnaro has taken one of his first stances after being elected mayor of Venice, Italy, by banning several children’s books from kindergarten classrooms. Titles like Qual è il segreto di papà? (What’s Dad’s Secret?), Rosso micione (Big Red Cat),…
Cameroonian Cartoonist Fights Censorship with “Radio Taboo”
Cameroonian political cartoonist Issa Nyaphaga is no stranger to the often violent implications of free expression in a nation plagued by restrictive laws. And like many other creators around the world who have faced legal threats, imprisonment, and exile, he…
Iranian-born Actress Ratchets Up International Pressure to Free Atena Farghadani
As Iranian artist and activist Atena Farghadani continues to languish in prison, sentenced to 12 years and 9 months for a cartoon she drew depicting members of her country’s parliament as animals, she recently got some support from actress and…
Zunar’s Sedition Trial Delayed Again
For the second time, Malaysian cartoonist Zunar’s trial on nine counts of sedition has been postponed pending a decision in another case which challenges Malaysia’s entire Sedition Act. Zunar’s trial, which could land him in prison for up to 43…
EXCLUSIVE: CBLDF Talks with Sonny Liew About The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye and Censorship
When it came time to print Sonny Liew’s newest graphic novel, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, the National Arts Council in Singapore abruptly withdrew their grant, leaving publisher Epigram Books with a financial burden. Taking on difficult subjects…