Lebanon on Wednesday banned the new Wonder Woman film from cinemas as its lead actress, Gal Gadot, is Israeli and had served in the Israeli defence force. Lebanon’s Ministry of Economy and Trade issued the ban just hours before the premiere of the film in Beirut, the country’s capital. Lebanon considers Israel an enemy country. The ban was announced by Lebanon’s Grand Cinemas movie theatre chain on its Twitter feed.
Private screenings had been held in Beirut on Tuesday and the movie was set to premiere in most major cinemas in the city. Warner Brothers, the distributor in the region, said public screenings were cancelled just hours in advance.
Gadot used to be a combat trainer in the Israeli Defence Force and was crowned Miss Israel at age 18.
Earlier, Lebanon’s Ministry of Economy and Trade had issued a boycott of all business transactions concerning Israel. A ministry official said the decision to ban the movie was taken after a recommendation from the General Security directorate, reported Reuters.
The government was pushed by the “Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon” to block the film. The body had described the movie as “the Israeli Soldier film”, reported The Guardian. The campaign had previously tried to block the release of Batman vs Superman in Lebanon, as that movie hda also starred Gal Gadot. However, their attempt was unsuccessful.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!