Moscow – Russia won’t let local cinemas show “Borat,” a spoof movie depicting a misogynistic, anti-Semitic, homophobic reporter from Kazakhstan, over concern the film may offend people from its ex-Soviet neighbor.
“We decided not to grant this film a cinema license because there are moments in the film which could offend some viewers’ religious or national sensibilities,” said Yuri Vasyuchkov, head of the film licensing department at Russia’s Moscow-based Federal Culture and Cinematography Agency.
The movie, whose full title is “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” opened as the No. 1 film in the U.S. this past weekend, taking in an estimated $26.4 million in ticket sales.
The comedy portrays Kazakhstan as a country where people drink horse urine and whose national pastimes include rape, incest and shooting dogs. The creation of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat caused outrage amongst Kazakh officials when he first appeared in the television series “Da Ali G Show,” with some even suggesting he was part of a larger political plot against Kazakhstan.
