Less than a week ago, director Bill Condon brought Beauty And The Beast back to headlines when he hinted at the “exclusively gay moment” that would be featured in the upcoming Disney film to Attitude.
In response to Bill Condon’s comments, a movie theatre in Alabama pulled its scheduled screening of the movie citing the promotion of LGBTQ characters clashing with the owners’ Christian beliefs as their reason behind the decision.
“We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language,” wrote the owner of the Henagar Drive-In Theatre.
The impact of Bill Condon’s statements, which he later retracted by admitting to Screencrush the comment had been “overblown”, has reached Russia. The live-action remake is set to receive an age restriction, three days after United Russia MP, Vitaly Milonov, asked the country’s culture minister to screen the film and ban it if “elements of propaganda of homosexuality” were found.
Russian film service, Kinopoisk, has prohibited anyone under 16 years old to watch the movie in theatres without adult accompaniment. This is in accordance to a law enacted in 2013 that forbids the spread of “gay propaganda” to minors.
Ouch! Well, even if the movie’s been pulled from a theatre in Alabama and Russian kids under 16 years old are out of luck, Beauty And The Beast will be opening the March 17 in UK theatres to all audiences.
#Peace.Love.BeautyAndTheBeast
