(Illustration credit: Guilhem Dorandeu / L'Orient-Le Jour)
The brief appearance of a transgender pride flag in a film was seemingly too much for Lebanon's authorities. Released on June 2nd in the United States, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will not be screened in Lebanese theaters, according to the major distributors VOX and Grand Cinemas.
The reason? Five bands of pink, blue and white, representing the transgender pride flag, briefly appear in the background in one scene.
The ban of the film was confirmed on Wednesday to L'Orient-Le Jour by the distributor Grand Cinemas, who stated that they are "not sure" about the exact reason for the censorship. This has sparked outrage among some internet users as the film joins a long list of Western movies that have been censored by Lebanese authorities, specifically the General Security and its censorship committee under the Ministry of Interior.
"It's truly pathetic"
One internet user shared a screenshot on Tuesday showing a brief exchange with VOX Cinemas on Instagram. Asking when the movie would be released in Lebanon, VOX replied that "the film has been banned and will not be screened in the Middle East. Have a nice day."
Lebanon banning the new Spider-Man movie because of a trans flag showing in the background during the movie is fucking pathetic. pic.twitter.com/3CH580cgxG
— abed bsat (@AboudiInAHoodie) June 20, 2023
"Lebanon censoring a film because a trans flag appears in the background is truly pathetic," the internet user posted in response to the exchange. Another person jokingly remarked, "the next Barbie movie is in trouble if this one is banned," referring to the upcoming American film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, set to be released on July 21, 2023 in the United States.
Negative impact for distributors
When contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, a spokesperson for the General Security was unable to immediately confirm the information.
VOX and Empire Cinemas, the film's distribution companies, did not respond to our inquiries.
For Grand Cinemas, the distributor in ABC shopping malls in Beirut and at Spot Cinema in Saida, the news was not well received. "It has a negative impact on us. We wish all films would be released in all cinemas," said Carly Ramia Habis, the marketing manager. "We received a very brief email from the distributors stating that the film will not be released. Without any reason," she added. "No Middle Eastern country will screen it, not even in the Gulf."
The censorship of films advocating for the LGBTQ+ community or even containing a brief reference to it is not a recent occurrence in Lebanon. As early as 2013, the French thriller "Stranger by the Lake," which centralizes around the subject of homosexuality, was banned. The General Security had stated at the time that the film "did not meet its criteria."
Ten years later, it seems that these criteria have not changed. The year 2022 saw a fair share of censorship. In the movie Thor: Love and Thunder, released in July in the United States, a character explains having two fathers. The result? The film was censored in Lebanon and in other countries in the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt.
In June, in the Disney film Lightyear, two women share a second-long kiss in a hallway. The film faced the same fate in Lebanon and at least 14 other countries in the Middle East and Asia.
Less than a month later, the film Minions: The Rise of Gru committed a double sacrilege. Not only do two Minions kiss, but there is also a scene showing a nun attempting to use a nunchak, a Japanese weapon.
"With each banned film, we were not given a valid reason for the cancellation," said Carly Ramia Habis. Censorship continues to prevail, compromising tolerance and cinematic freedom.
