NFVCB Threatens Sanctions Over Unclassified Premiere of ‘Living in Colors’
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has said it will take regulatory action against the producers of a new film titled Living in Colors, following its planned public exhibition without prior classification by the board.
In a statement issued by NFVCB Chief Executive Officer, Dr Shaibu Husseini, the board expressed concern over the film’s premiere, noting that it had neither been submitted for vetting nor formally classified in line with existing regulatory requirements. According to the board’s description, Living in Colors explores the lives of five young flatmates living in Lagos as they navigate life as queer individuals.
Husseini said that while he had not personally viewed the complete film, its trailer, in his assessment, depicted explicit content of a pornographic nature and the promotion of same-sex relationships. He stated that the absence of an NFVCB classification rendered the film’s public exhibition or promotion illegal under Nigeria’s applicable regulatory framework governing film content.
As a result, the NFVCB chief executive confirmed that the board had commenced immediate regulatory action targeting the filmmakers behind the project, the film itself, and the exhibition centre involved in hosting its planned premiere. The specific nature and scope of the sanctions being pursued were not detailed in the statement.
Same-sex relationships remain a sensitive and legally contentious subject in Nigeria, where such relationships are criminalised under national law, carrying penalties that can extend to lengthy prison terms. Films and other creative works touching on LGBTQ+ themes have historically faced scrutiny and, in some cases, outright bans or restrictions from Nigerian regulatory bodies, prompting some filmmakers in the past to pursue alternative distribution routes, including online release, in order to circumvent the censorship process altogether.
The NFVCB, the statutory body responsible for classifying and regulating films and video content for public exhibition in Nigeria, has in the past taken action against a range of productions found to fall short of its classification requirements or to run contrary to its content guidelines, spanning concerns from explicit content to material considered capable of stirring ethnic or social tensions. As of the time of this report, further details on the film’s producers, its planned release date, and the exhibition centre involved had not been made publicly available beyond the board’s statement.
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