Iran bans movies that promote Western culture

Films 'promoting' immorality, violence, drug usage, liquor consumption, secularism, liberalism, anarchy and feminism banned.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
iran 88 (photo credit: )
iran 88
(photo credit: )
ran has banned American and other films that promote Western culture in a move to combat what the Islamic government called attempts to "damage and humiliate eastern traditions and culture," state-run television reported Thursday. The report said the country's Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council, headed by hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, issued the ban on foreign movies that promote what were termed "arrogant powers," a propaganda term the Iranians use regarding the United States. The ban affects films that deny the existence of God as well as those seen to promote immorality, violence, drug usage, liquor consumption, secularism, liberalism, anarchy and feminism, the television report said. The culture minister and the head of national broadcasting were charged with enforcing the ban. The decision did not mention Iranian movies, which already are censored. "It is good bye to those few American movies which we could see sporadically. From now on any of them could be banned because of an alcohol consumption scene or action and thriller theme," said Hooshang Rahimi, a moviegoer standing in front of a movie house in downtown Tehran. During his presidential campaign, Ahmadinejad promised to confront what he called the Western cultural invasion and promote Islamic culture. "This is a sign of the beginning of an era of restrictive cultural policies of president Ahmadinejad," said Pouran Golmahammadi, another moviegoer. During the rule of former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, Iran opened its doors to Hollywood blockbusters such as The Passion of The Christ and The Aviator.