Film Censorship in Sweden

Abstract

This law centered authority for film censorship in a body called Statens Biografbyra which for convenience we will simply refer to as the Censorship Board. This board consists of three permanent members appointed by the crown for a five-year term, one of whom is designated as director of the board. These censors may not be in the employ of any company which produces, lends, sells, or distributes films. No film may be exhibited in Sweden in a theater for public performance without a license from the Censorship Board, whether it be a full-length feature, a newsreel, or a short subject. Both Swedish and foreign films come before this board.* Any run-of-the-mill film may get by with only one censor viewing it and giving it his personal approval, with license to distribute it for public showing. However, if any doubt arises in his mind as to the propriety of passing the film, the other censors may have a look at it, and then by joint discussion decide whether any cuts are necessary. Very often the censors have to call on the services of specialists and experts in certain fields, who might be called ex-officio members of the Censorship Board, or adjunct members. There are, for example, psychiatric experts who are retained to detect deleterious psychological influences inherent in the plot or the situation of the films. If a question is raised about the showing of newsreels dealing with Sweden's national defense, an officer from Sweden's