The Mountain Doesn’t Go to Muslim Arabs
March 21st, 2006 by Andre Soares
Focus / Kimberly French
Recommended reading: Brian Whitaker’s The Guardian article "Brokeback desert":
"It is a pity Brokeback Mountain isn’t showing in the Arab world, because it resembles current reality there."
…
"‘Brokeback Mountain is a film which has nothing positive about it,’ said Dr Abdullah al-Amiri, a prominent member of parliament in Sharjah emirate. ‘The portrayal of the sexual behaviour of its main character [sic] is offensive to eastern societies, particularly Muslims and the Arabs, since Islam forbids abnormal behaviours like homosexuality … The film will upset the people of this culture and tradition.’
"In Saudi Arabia the question of showing Brokeback simply doesn’t arise: the ultra-conservative kingdom sidesteps the problem of censoring films by not permitting cinemas. Lebanon, the most easy-going of the Arab countries, might possibly allow it, but so far no Lebanese film distributor has plucked up the courage to give it a try."
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