Banned

Later this week, my friend and mentor Horace Ové will head to Buck House to be made a knight of the British empire. Those of us who know Horace rejoice at this richly deserved honour. We are also amused by the deep irony. For the very empire that will anoint him is the same one that Horace – throughout his six-decade career as a pioneering film-maker, writer, painter and photographer – has held a mirror to and been a fierce critic of. It is all so very Horace.Known as the godfather of black British film-making, having…

Tesla cars have been banned from entering Beidaihe, a Chinese resort town, for two months over concerns about spying amid a meeting of the country’s leadership. For the most part, Tesla and the Chinese government are believed to have a good relationship. The two came to a deal that resulted in Tesla being the first foreign automaker to fully owned a car factory in China without having to have a joint venture with a state-owned company. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also been known to praise the Chinese people and has…

The Central government on Sunday banned 35 WhatsApp groups for allegedly spreading fake news on the Agnipath Scheme and the Agniveers, government sources said. The action was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amid reports that social media platforms such as WhatsApp were being used for mobilising protests in states like Bihar which grew more virulent on Friday, June 17, when a mob attacked Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi's house, besides causing damage to the railway property and disrupting the normal life in a…

‘Enemy of the people’ Noel Gallagher banned from China ( Photo Credit – Wikipedia ) Oasis legend Noel Gallagher was deemed an “enemy of the people” and has been banned from setting foot in China. The 55-year-old singer has been banned from China after upsetting authorities in 1997 when he joined the likes of U2, Radiohead, Alanis Morissette, Foo Fighters and Beastie Boys for performing at a two-day Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Noel Gallagher only found out about his…

Fourteen markets across the Middle East and Southeast Asia banned theatrical showings of the Pixar movie “Lightyear,” Walt DisneyCo. said, after the company declined to remove depictions of a same-sex relationship, including a kiss between two married female characters.The markets—all in majority-Muslim countries or territories with conservative social values—include 12 where Disney is launching its Disney+ streaming service this summer to grow its global subscriber count. Fourteen markets across the Middle East and…

Disney-Pixar’s forthcoming film Lightyear has now reportedly been banned in 14 countries over the inclusion of a same-sex kiss scene. On Monday, the animated film was banned by the United Arab Emirates “due to its violation of the country’s media standards”. Lightyear was scheduled to release on Thursday (16 June). The UAE, like other nations in the wider Middle East, is a Muslim-led country that criminalises same-sex relationships.Disney has reportedly been unable to secure the release of Lightyear in 14 Middle Eastern…

The United Arab Emirates has banned the release of Pixar’s Lightyear amid reports the film includes a same-sex kiss. In a tweet posted on Monday (13 June), the UAE’s Media Regulatory Office – part of the country’s Ministry of Youth and Culture – announced that Lightyear “is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards”. The film had been scheduled to release in the UAE on Thursday (16 June). “The office confirms that all films screened in…

A new film has been pulled from cinemas after being accused of “blasphemy”.The Lady of Heaven, directed by Eli King, tells the story of Fatima, the daughter of the prophet Muhammad. It’s billed as the first ever film to do so.Cineworld has now decided to pull the film’s release after it was met with protests. Executive producer Malik Shlibak claimed that he has received death threats.Why is The Lady of Heaven so controversial?The depiction of Islamic prophets in film has long been a controversial topic. While the Quran…

Since the dawn of time – well, the start of cinema – many films have been banned in certain countries due to various reasons.Thanks to strict laws or conflicting beliefs, censors from all around the world – China, Ireland, Lebanon, to name just a few – continue to work hard determining whether new releases are fit to be screened in cinemas.While some titles, including graphic horror films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Human Centipede 2, get banned for obvious reasons, there is a long history of unexpected features…

A new film has been pulled from cinemas after being accused of “blasphemy”.The Lady of Heaven, directed by Eli King, tells the story of Fatima, the daughter of the prophet Muhammad. It’s billed as the first ever film to do so.Cineworld has now decided to pull the film’s release after it was met with protests. Executive producer Malik Shlibak claimed that he has received death threats.Why is The Lady of Heaven so controversial?The depiction of Islamic prophets in film has long been a controversial topic. While the Quran…