“Lightyear,” the animated film based mostly on the franchise sequence “Toy Story,” has been banned from cinemas within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the nation’s Media Regulatory Workplace introduced Monday.
The Disney-Pixar movie about “Toy Story” character Buzz Lightyear reportedly accommodates a scene together with a same-sex kiss.
The movie was banned for its “violation of the nation’s media content material requirements,” the workplace mentioned on Twitter, sharing an image of the principle character Buzz Lightyear coated by a “No” image.
LGBTQ content material ban
The Emirati authorities physique didn’t state the particular violation of its content material requirements, however an Arabic hashtag “‘Lightyear’ banned within the Emirates,” in posts complaining that the movie accommodates portrayals of LGBTQ relationships, was trending on Twitter.
The movie, which is predicted to be launched later this week, reportedly features a scene of two feminine characters kissing.
The scene was initially taken out of the movie, however later restored after complaints by Disney and Pixar workers, in line with US media.
Monday’s announcement got here simply six months after the UAE mentioned it could cease censoring movies and as a substitute use a 21+ age ranking for content material it classifies for mature audiences.
The UAE is seen as extra liberal than different international locations within the area that usually censor or edit out scenes it deems controversial in movies.
Saudi Arabia, as an example, just lately banned the screening of Disney’s “Physician Unusual within the Multiverse of Insanity” as a result of its “LGBTQ references.”
fb/wd (AFP, Reuters)