Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

The movie Rocketman is likely to be banned in the Cook Islands, despite having already been in the cinema for a week, reports the Cook Islands News.

The film, a biography of English pop singer Elton John, was banned in Samoa last week due to its graphic depiction of gay sex.

“We might go the same way,” chief censor Dennie Tangirere told the Cook Island News.

READ MORE: Inside Samoa’s Rocketman ban

The proposal has worried Cook Islands’ LGBTI community, as it did across the Pacific.

Samoa’s principal censor had told local media the film did not “go well with the cultural and christian beliefs of Samoa”.

Tangirere acknowledged that other films had previously been censored in the Cook Islands on“religious grounds”.

“We have banned films here before for containing homosexual content,” he said.

Rocketman is billed as a musical fantasy about Elton John’s breakthrough years. It has received critical acclaim overseas.

It was released at the local empire cinema on June 6 and has screened about seven times since. The movie was not screened on Friday last week, with cinema management citing “technical issues”.

Cook Islands News understands the movie is unlikely to be screened again at the cinema, a family business run by Pa Napa.

When questioned as to why the film was already being screened at the cinema, Tangirere stated that he was usually provided with a list of films cinemas prior to their screening, but this did not happen last week.

So he was oblivious to the fact that Rocketman would be screened here.

“I usually watch the films before they are screened. However, Napa was late with the list last week,” Tangirere said.

The looming ban has drawn criticism from the local LGBTI community, with the secretary of Te Tiare Association Valentino Wichman saying: “Rocketman is just another film which people should have the freedom to watch.

“Banning films based on certain grounds affects people in different ways. Actions like this brings up certain views and emotions which can be damaging.”

“The ban may bring unwanted attention to members of our community and may reignite certain attitudes which are better left somewhere else. The message to the community is that this ban does not mean that we (the LGBTI community) are less normal, or that we should feel angry and sad,” said Wichman.

“We are an integral part of this community and to a large extent are socially accepted members of our society.”

In both Samoa and the Cook Islands, sodomy is an illegal act.

“These archaic laws have never been used, however the fact that they are there and can be used is a worry for our community.”

Wichman promised to follow up with the censor office regarding the ban and encouraged people to still watch the film.

“You can still get a copy from overseas and watch it in your homes.”

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Justin Fa’afia in Apia

The Samoa Censorship Board has banned the screening of Rocketman – a biographical movie about the life of British rock star Elton John.

“Unfortunately due to censoring issues, we have had to cancel Rocketman,” the Apollo Cinemas Samoa stated during a Facebook update of its movie screenings for the week.

The cinemas confirmed that the movie was not approved for screening.

READ MORE: Elton John protests over the censoring of Rocketman

This is the second time the Samoa Censorship Board has banned a gay biography – with the first being the movie Milk banned in 2009. This was based on the life of US gay rights activist Harvey Milk.

Samoa was only one of two countries which banned Rocketman, the other being Egypt. However, Russia has also stirred controversy by censoring parts of the film.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, the film follows Elton John’s early days as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music to his musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. The film is titled after John’s 1972 song “Rocket Man”.

Members of the Samoan fa’afafine community have expressed their dismay at the ban with some calling it a “disappointment”.

‘Selective morality’
The international community has also reacted with Tuisina Ymania Brown, the co-secretary general of Geneva-based non government organisation International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), calling the ban a “selective immorality” approach.

“This movie is a creative piece of work that should be celebrated as art, now we are saying that art that celebrates fa’afafines are not allowed?”

Tuisina said the decision should have been taken more seriously.

“We should not censor issues that are so open yet accept Filipino movies which seem to promote infidelity among neighbours and family members. This is the board being selective on their perceptions of immorality.”

According to Tuisina the banning of Rocketman which celebrates the life of an artist is ironic given that the Censorship Board allows movies that contain extreme violence against women, gender based violence, infidelity and other issues they perceive as immoral.

“The power of the Church has now reached into censoring the celebration of art. There are more important issues we should focus on, such as gender-based violence, Church paying taxes and other much more vital issues.”

Rocketman was released on May 30 and by June 4 had grossed US$67.2 million in the box office.

Attempts to reach the Samoa Censorship Board were unsuccessful and no public statement has been issued regarding the ban. The board consists of representatives from the Church.

Justin Fa’afia reports for Newsline Samoa.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz