LSF Awards 2025 to Celebrate Self-Censorship in Film, Television

KBRN, Jakarta: The Indonesian Film Censorship Board (LSF) is set to hold the 2025 LSF Awards, themed Voices of Screen Diversity for Indonesia. The event will honor excellence in self-censorship across 18 award categories.

Among the categories are Best Self-Censored Feature Film for various age classifications -- All Ages, 13+, 17+, and 21+ -- as well as Best Self-Censored Film Poster, Best Self-Censored Television Program, and Television for Educational Awareness.

Gustav Aulia, Chairman of LSF’s Appreciation and Promotion Sub-commission, emphasized that all creative works must comply with age classification standards as mandated by Indonesia’s Film Law.

“Self-censorship should be embedded from the ideation stage through to promotional materials,” he said on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

According to Gustav, the evaluation process considers both the volume of content submitted and adherence to age-based classification standards.

“We aim to encourage ministries, institutions, and educational bodies to adopt self-censorship practices, including student and university-produced films,” he added.

LSF Chair Naswardi noted that this year, the board reviewed over 58,000 titles to determine nominees and winners. A rigorous selection process was conducted by a panel of judges, assessing each entry based on production quality and age classification compliance.

“Films that pass censorship must be free from violence, pornography, narcotics, and legal violations,” Naswardi stated. He underscored that cultivating a culture of self-censorship is key to ensuring safe and responsible viewing for all age groups.

Gustav expressed hope that the awards will inspire filmmakers to consistently apply self-censorship principles. “This is essential for enhancing the quality and global competitiveness of Indonesian cinema in a sustainable way,” he affirmed. ***

Translator: Annaila Syafa Azzahra

Editor: Sri Wahyuni