DUBAI, June 13 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates on Monday banned Walt Disney-Pixar’s animated function movie “Lightyear” from screening in cinemas as a result of it options characters in a same-sex relationship.
The movie wouldn’t be licensed for screening within the nation because it violated the nation’s media content material customary, the Ministry of Youth and Tradition’s media regulatory workplace wrote on Twitter.
Media Regulatory Workplace Government Director Rashid Khalfan Al Nuaimi later informed Reuters the movie was banned due to the inclusion of “gay” characters in a number of scenes.
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A Disney (DIS.N) consultant didn’t instantly reply to emailed Reuters questions on the ban, which drew reward from some on social media within the nation.
Like many different Center East and Muslim nations, same-sex relationships are criminalised within the UAE, a Gulf nation of about 10 million folks the place many of the inhabitants are foreigners.
“Lightyear”, which had been marketed by cinemas within the UAE for launch on June 16, is centred across the Buzz Lightyear motion determine character from the favored Toy Story franchise.
The movie options Chris Evans because the voice of “Buzz” and Uzo Aduba as “Alisha Hawthorne”. Aduba’s character is in a relationship with one other girl, whom she kisses within the movie.
Some social media customers mentioned depicting same-sex relationships was towards the faith and tradition of the UAE whereas others mentioned youngsters shouldn’t be uncovered to such imagery.
Forward of Monday’s determination, an Arabic hashtag calling for the movie to not be proven within the UAE was trending on Twitter.
Movies that includes same-sex relationships have prior to now been banned by regulators in Muslim-majority nations, whereas others with profanity or illicit drug use are generally censored.
The UAE’s media regulatory workplace in December had introduced that worldwide variations of movies could be proven within the nation.
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Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Enhancing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise
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