Silent holiday
From “Mary Poppins” to “Heidi”: That’s why these films are banned on Good Friday
Heidi and the Goat Peter are also not allowed to be performed in public on Good Friday
© Tivoli / Picture Alliance
A FSK list prohibits films such as “Mary Poppins” and “Heidi in the Mountains” on public holidays such as Good Friday. Almost 700 films are not allowed to be shown on this “silent holiday”. What are the reasons?
Not only is the charming nanny “Mary Poppins” from 1964 not shown in Germany at Easter, other films are also affected. In fact, there are over 700 productions on a list that are not allowed to be shown on Good Friday. With some films it is self-explanatory why they are not quite as appropriate for the day, but with some the question arises: just why?
Predicate: Understandable
Good Friday is one of the silent holidays. There is a ban on dancing in clubs and bars and there are also restrictions on television. Certain films are not shown. If the ban on a film seems understandable, it is with “The Life of Brian”. The religious satire causes mixed feelings. For Christians, the film is considered controversial because of its content, but it also enjoys cult status.
Movies like “Bonebreaker Strikes Again”, “A Nightmare On Elm Street” and “Zombie Blood Rage” also belong to this strip. These horror classics could well disrupt the religious holiday of a devout Christian. The ban on “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is somehow understandable due to the sexual innuendos and the absurd plot. Strips like “Angela, Bodies in Ecstasy” and “The Schoolgirl Report” are also sexually suggestive.
Good Friday: family films not suitable for public holidays?
A flying nanny named “Mary Poppins” who saves the family blessings and a girl who lives happily ever after: Why isn’t this suitable for holidays if FSK has her way? Some films are only banned from being broadcast because distributors did not have the film checked for “holiday suitability” due to the high costs or due to oversight. This ban has been relaxed over the years. However, the family film can still be found in the list.
For a long time, the children’s film “Heidi in the mountains” was considered “not suitable” for a church holiday. The incomprehensibility also remains in films like “Charley’s Tante” with Peter Alexander and “Didi – The Double” with Dieter Hallervorden. Here, too, the film distributors simply did not pay attention to the holiday release.
The decision maker
The FSK (voluntary self-regulation of the film industry) decides which film is included on this list. Holidays on which certain films are not allowed to be shown are called “silent holidays”. “The basis for the decisions of the FSK on the release of films for the silent holidays are the regulations of the state laws,” writes the organization on its website. The regulations mentioned stipulate that these films contradict the “serious character” of public holidays.
Historically, the restriction of movies has also changed in this day. At the beginning, in the 1950s/60s, half of all films were still on the banned list. Even if 700 films sounds like a lot, on closer inspection the number is manageable. The easing goes so far that in recent years, a maximum of a handful of new films have been added to the list. The ban on performances only applies to cinemas or other public events. On television, DVD sales and streaming platforms, these films can still be distributed that day.
Depending on the federal state, dance events, circuses, markets, trade fairs and sports events are also affected by the restrictions.
Source: Film list of the FSK