Russia wants to ban Disney’s Beauty And The Beast’ because of movie’s ‘gay moment’
A Russian MP has branded the family movie a 'shameless propaganda of sin'
RUSSIA is considering banning Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast – because it features a gay character.
The family blockbuster, which stars Emma Watson, has made headlines after it was revealed it will include an “exclusively gay moment” involving actor Josh Gad.
But Russia’s controversial laws against ‘spreading gay propaganda among minors’ could see the big budget movie banned, reports the .
The country’s Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky will carry out checks on the film which a Russian MP reportedly branded a “shameless propaganda of sin”.
Medinsky said: "As soon as we get a copy of the film with relevant paperwork for distribution, we will consider it according to the law.”
The movie, which is a live-action remake of Disney’s 1991 animated classic, is the studio’s first film to feature a homosexual character.
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Speaking with , director Bill Condon first revealed that actor Gad’s character ‘LeFou’ becomes besotted with the dashing ‘Gaston’ played by Welsh star Luke Evans.
He said: "LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston”
He added: "And that’s what has its pay-off at the end, which I don’t want to give away.
“But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."
Editor-in-chief of Attitude Matt Cain heaped praise on the film.
He said: “It may have been a long time coming but this is a watershed moment for Disney.”
But the news has not been welcomed by everyone.
The BBC reports that Russian actor Pavel Derevyanko told Russia 24, "I will not take my kid to this movie."
This week, it was reported a cinema in America run by devout Christians has refused to show the highly-anticipated picture.
The owners of the Henagar drive-in in Alabama made the announcement on Facebook.
The statement read: "If we cannot take our 11 year old granddaughter and 8 year old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it.
“If I can't sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it."
They added: “We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches."
Beauty and the Beast hits UK screens on March 17.
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