ABSTRACT
Making a film is one of the most arduous tasks in Iran. Most independent filmmakers must overstep many barriers and restrictions in order to avoid censorship, and then produce and screen a film. This chapter covers the underlying structure of censorship in Iran, it is by no means the finalized word on this subject. It divides the censorship of Iran into three sections: the first part attends to the codes within censorship laws and regulations, including the structure and legal boundaries of censorship as indicated by the Iranian state. The second section pertains to the preferential and extra-legal treatment of films by censors-especially those who ban films on the basis of unwritten laws and indeterminate customary norms. The third section examines influential factors in the process of censorship, including the impact of socio-political circumstances on film censorship, the loyalty and commitment of filmmakers, and personal preferences and opinions of censors, which play a major role in the process of censorship.
