Bahrain's Film Censorship: What Gets Edited And Why?

Bahrain's film industry is small and lacks support from the government and the private sector. Despite this, there are a number of theatres in Bahrain showing a mix of Indian, American, and Arabic movies. Censorship laws in Bahrain are strict, and some films may be edited to comply with these laws. For example, in 2022, the first Bollywood film shot in Bahrain, Khel Kood Aur Bhoot, was released. The film's director, Adnan Malik, a Bahraini journalist-turned-filmmaker, co-edited the movie with Indian editor Abhijit Kokate.

Censorship in Bahrain

The Kingdom of Bahrain has been deemed 'Not Free' in terms of Net Freedom and Press Freedom by Freedom House. The country ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.

Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy led by the Khalifa royal family. The country has been criticised by numerous organisations for its censorship of information and repression of its people, particularly journalists.

Constitutional Laws Regarding Censorship

Articles 23–26 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain outline freedoms of expression, press and telecommunications.

Article 23 states that citizens are:

> free to express their opinion and publish it … provided it does not violate the fundamentals of the Islamic faith or the unity of the country and does not provoke sectarianism or communalism.

Article 24 claims that:

> freedom of press, printing and publishing is guaranteed.

Article 26 posits that:

> freedom to use postal correspondence, telegraph and telephone is guaranteed as also their secrecy. Correspondence will not be censored or its secrets revealed except in cases stated in law.

However, many journalists argue that these clauses are open to interpretation and, in practice, these rights are not upheld.

Censorship in Practice

Since 2011, there has been a surge of uprisings and demonstrations against the current regime, as part of the Arab Springs. This opposition to the government has been met with increased repression and harsher censoring measures for dissidents.

The government has responded to these protests with a range of repressive tactics, including arrests, torture, and the revocation of citizenship.

Matters pertaining to human rights are heavily censored, and the promotion of hatred, gambling or pornography is banned from websites and media sources.

All major newspaper outlets within Bahrain are heavily influenced by the government, except for Al-Wasat, whose building headquarters was attacked by a crowd of pro-government supporters. Pro-government media have also allegedly engaged in presenting misinformation. Self-censorship occurs within the media, as many newspapers elect not to cover political or controversial subjects.

The Press and Publication Law of 2002 has been strongly criticised as repressive. It prohibits any publications against the regime in power, averse to the state's official religion, breaching ethics or jeopardising public peace.

The government maintains control over the Internet by requiring all websites to register with the Information Affairs Authority (IAA). Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are indirectly controlled through the Telecommunications Regulation Authority (TRA) under the pretext of helping to protect intellectual property. A resolution issued by the Ministry of Culture and Information in January 2009 requires all ISPs to install a website-blocking software chosen by the Ministry. The IAA and select Ministries within the government can decide to block certain websites, which is then enforced by the ISP.

The IAA typically cites Articles 19 and 20 of Bahrain's Press Laws and Regulations when blocking access to websites. According to Article 19:

> it is possible to prohibit circulation of publications instigating hatred of the political regime, encroaching on the state’s official religion, [and] breaching ethics...

According to Reporters Without Borders, over 1,000 websites have been blocked or shut down, including human rights websites, blogs, online forums and social media pages.

History of cinemas in Bahrain

The history of cinemas in Bahrain can be traced back to the early 20th century when, in 1922, a Bahraini businessman named Mahmood Al Saati imported a projector and set up a makeshift cinema in a cottage on the north coast of Manama. This initiative is considered the first attempt to bring movie theatres to the country. However, the official establishment of the first cinema in Bahrain took place in 1937, thanks to the efforts of Abdulla Al Zayed and his associates. This cinema was located in Manama, the capital city, and it lacked both air-conditioning and heating systems, leading to its relocation during the winter season to an open-roofed building where one of the walls served as the screen.

In the following decades, specifically the 1930s and 1940s, the cinema in Bahrain showcased black-and-white films, mainly from Egypt with some American films also being featured. Westerns and Tarzan films were particularly popular during this period. Despite the growing popularity of cinemas, their introduction faced criticism from some elderly citizens who feared a potential erosion of traditional values.

The Bahrain Petroleum Company joined the scene in the early 1940s by opening a cinema in Awali exclusively for its staff. This cinema underwent a relocation within Awali in 1958 but eventually closed down in 1991.

The 1950s and 1960s witnessed a significant expansion with eight new cinemas springing up across Bahrain. Notable mentions include the Pearl Cinema, Al Hamra Cinema, Al Nasr Cinema, and Awal Cinema, all of which were established in Manama. Al Jazira Cinema in Muharraq, opening in 1955, holds the distinction of being the first cinema in that region and remains operational to this day.

The Delmon Cinema, which opened in 1996 at the Gosi Complex, represented the first modern-style cinema in Bahrain. Unfortunately, it has since ceased operations. The Bahrain Cinema Company carried forward the trend of modern cinemas by launching cinema complexes within shopping malls, such as Seef Mall in 1998 and later in Saar in 2000. Dana Cinema, an independent cinema, debuted in 2002 at the Dana Mall in Manama.

The early 2000s witnessed the inauguration of a 20-screen cinema complex in the Bahrain City Centre, earning the distinction of being the largest cineplex in the Middle East. Bahrain's first IMAX theatre opened its doors in July 2015 at Seef Mall Muharraq, operated by Novo Cinema. The Bahraini cinema landscape continued to diversify with the entry of international players like the Mexican company Cinepolis in 2019.

Bahrain's film industry

The first movie theatre in Bahrain was set up in 1922 by businessman Mahmood Al Saati, who imported a projector and set up a makeshift cinema in a cottage on the north coast of Manama. The first official cinema was opened in 1937 by Abdulla Al Zayed and associates, also in Manama. During the 1930s and 1940s, films were in black and white, with Egyptian and some American productions proving popular. Westerns and Tarzan films were especially popular in the country during this period.

In the 1950s and 1960s, eight new cinemas opened in Bahrain, including the Pearl Cinema, Al Hamra Cinema, Al Nasr Cinema, and Awal Cinema, all in Manama. The first cinema in Muharraq, Al Jazira Cinema, opened in 1955 and is still in use. The first modern-style cinema, Delmon Cinema, opened in 1996.

Bahrain has a cinema club, established in 1980, and the Bahraini Film Production Company was set up in 2006 to support the Bahraini film industry. The inaugural Bahrain Cinema Days festival was launched by the Culture Ministry in 2014, showcasing 13 short Bahraini films. Mohammed Bu Ali, a director and one of the new generation of Bahraini filmmakers, said of the festival:

> "We hope that these films will be ambassadors for Bahrain in the worldwide film festival circuit."

Bu Ali also successfully directed and produced a number of short films, most of which have received accolades at international film festivals. His first feature film, 'The Sleeping Tree', was released in 2014. He has said of the Bahraini film industry:

> "The film industry is something new to Bahrain, to this region in general, when compared to other nations where there is a huge industry and institutions for filmmaking. People see the culture of a nation through its cinemas – the humanity of the region is portrayed through their movies. Unfortunately, people still don’t take our movies seriously and the sad part is that there are people who still think that we live in a desert filled with camels. My aim is to make movies that would represent Bahrain and the GCC region and show who we actually are."

Foreign films shot in Bahrain

The Bahraini film industry is small and lacks support from the government and the private sector. However, there have been several foreign films shot in Bahrain.

One of the first feature films made in Bahrain was Al-Hajiz (The Barrier) in 1990, by Bassam Al-Thawadi, a Bahraini filmmaker. Al-Thawadi has also made other films such as Za'er (Visitor) in 2004 and A Bahraini Tale in 2006.

Several Indian films have also been shot in Bahrain, including Ajnabee in 2001, Nilavu in 2010, and Veer-Zaara, which was a re-release.

Afghan Muscle, a Danish-Afghan documentary, was filmed in Bahrain in 2006. It follows a group of Afghan bodybuilders who travel to the Middle East. Another documentary, Cinema 500 km, was filmed in Manama, Bahrain, in the same year. It tells the story of a young Saudi film fan who travels to Manama to attend a cinema, as there are none in Saudi Arabia.

Witness Bahrain, a documentary directed by Jen Marlowe and released in 2014, was also filmed in the country.

Other foreign films shot in Bahrain include The Sleeping Tree, a 2014 drama directed by Mohammed BuAli, and Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark.

Bahrain's first cinema

The first attempt to create a movie theatre in Bahrain was in 1922, thanks to the initiative of Bahraini businessman Mahmood Al Saati. Al Saati imported a projector and set up a makeshift cinema at a cottage on the north coast of Manama. This first location was temporary, and films were likely to be shown on the wall of the cottage.

The first official cinema in Bahrain was established in 1937 by Abdulla Al Zayed and associates in Manama. This cinema had no air conditioning or heating, so during the winter, the cinema would move to an open-roofed building, using one of the walls as a screen.

In 1939, the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz Al Saud, visited the cinema while on a diplomatic visit with the then-Hakim Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa.

The introduction of cinemas to Bahrain was controversial, with some elderly citizens criticising the concept, stating that cinemas "would destroy traditional values". Despite this, the cinema of Bahrain was born, and the country's first cinema is still remembered today.

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