From the Hollywood Reporter:
Lebanon has banned Steven Spielberg’s newspaper drama The Post just days before the film is set to premiere in Beirut.A source involved with The Post’s international rollout says the movie, which stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, was presented to the Lebanese censorship board, which nixed it, citing a “boycott Israel” list that includes Spielberg due to his Oscar-winning Holocaust film Schindler’s List (the 1993 film shot some scenes in Jerusalem).
The matter has been transferred to Lebanon’s Minister of Interior and Municipalities, who could overturn the decision.
Unlike Gal Gadot, whose film Wonder Woman was banned in Lebanon in May, Spielberg is not an Israeli citizen, nor has he ever fought with the Israeli Army. Lebanon is officially at war with Israel.
But there is one nagging question:
[O]ver the past three years, at least five films either directed or produced by Spielberg were accepted and approved by the censorship board and it is only now that it is invoking Spielberg’s inclusion on the “boycott Israel” list. Both The BFG and Bridge of Spies — which mark Spielberg’s two most recent helming efforts before The Post — were released in Lebanon.
Why would the Lebanese censors be more sensitive over a newspaper drama?
The most plausible reason is because, to the censors, newspaper=media=Jewish.
The obvious thing to do is to find an Israeli or Zionist or Jewish connection with every film being made and publicize them.
I’m sure the Lebanese people will be happy when they can only watch Arab films.
We have lots of ideas, but we need more resources to be even more effective. Please donate today to help get the message out and to help defend Israel.
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