Film screening canceled in Georgia amid protests
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 14 May 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Film screening canceled in Georgia amid protests, 14 May 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/53a13a015.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 14, 2014
By RFE/RL's Georgian Service
The premiere of a movie has been canceled in Georgia amid protests over its homosexual content.
Film director Otar Mikeladze said he was forced to postpone his plan to present his gay-rights comedy "We Are Mad" on May 17 – the International Day Against Homophobia – fearing for his own safety and possible repercussions.
Mikeladze told journalists that he and his producer, David Bezhitaishvili, have been pressured and threatened by adherents of the Georgian Orthodox Church over the movie.
Last month, a radical Christian group, the Union of Orthodox Parents, protested in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi, demanding a ban on any public screenings of the comedy.
On May 12, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Ilia II, reiterated his stance against "gay propaganda" and called on Georgians to mark a new day of Strength of Family and Respect for Parents on May 17.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
