What has Malaysia’s Film Censorship Board allowed when it approved the film without the map?

Question

Accepted Answer

Malaysia's Film Censorship Board Approved "Abominable" Without the Controversial Map Scene

Malaysia's Film Censorship Board (PPC) granted approval for the animated film Abominable to be screened in cinemas, provided that a scene depicting China's "nine-dash line" was removed. However, the film's distributor, United International Pictures, acting on behalf of Universal, ultimately decided not to comply with the censor's requirement, leading to the film's withdrawal from the Malaysian market. The decision by Universal not to make the requested cut means the film will not be released in Malaysia, despite the PPC's conditional approval.
Conditional Clearance for Screening

The PPC had previously indicated that the film could be shown in Malaysian cinemas if the specific scene featuring the map was omitted. This conditional clearance suggests a willingness to allow the movie's content to be screened, provided it adheres to the board's guidelines regarding territorial claims depicted visually. The board's stance was that the film was permissible under the condition of excising the map in question.
Producers' Decision Not to Censor

Despite the PPC's offer of approval contingent on the removal of the "nine-dash line" scene, the producers of Abominable chose not to implement the required cut. This decision was communicated by a spokeswoman for United International Pictures, stating that Universal opted against making the censor's required alteration. Consequently, the film's release in Malaysia was cancelled as a direct result of this refusal to edit the content.
Implications for Distribution

The refusal by Universal to adhere to the Malaysian censor board's directive has led to the complete withdrawal of Abominable from release in the country. While the film was initially slated for a November 7 release, the distributor's decision means Malaysian audiences will not have the opportunity to view the movie in cinemas as planned. This outcome highlights the complexities of content regulation and international film distribution when sensitive geopolitical imagery is involved.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What has Malaysia’s Film Censorship Board allowed when it approved the film without the map?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends