UKRAINE BANS BRÃœNO

The Ukraine’s culture ministry has confirmed the ban of Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest film, Brüno. The film follows the journey of a flamboyantly gay Austrian TV host, and features full-frontal nudity, simulated gay sexual acts and offensive language.

The ministry said that it believes that Brüno is likely to offend conservative and religious people. It noted that the film includes “artistically unjustified exhibition of sexual organs and sexual relations, homosexual acts in a blatantly graphic form, obscene language, sadism [and] anti-social behaviour which could damage the moral upbringing of our citizens.”

There are no specific protections for LGBT minorities in the country, which is generally dominated by the Orthodox Church. MPs from the governing party have said that the “propaganda and expansion of homosexuality in the country form a threat to national security, contradict national interests and undermine the authority of rights and freedoms of human being and family.”

A Ukrainian diplomat told The Guardian newspaper: “Ukrainian society is a conservative one. The topic is not discussed…”

While some Austrian officials have spoken out against Brüno for mocking the country, no action has been taken in Austria. Cohen’s previous film, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, was banned in both Kazakhstan (which was ridiculed in the film) and Russia.