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Steven Spielberg's movie The Post is banned in Lebanon

The Post, Steven Spielberg’s new movie about the Washington Post and its release of the Pentagon Papers, has been banned in Lebanon, according to reports.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that it’s been axed by the Lebanese censorship board because of Spielberg, who is on a ‘boycott Israel’ list.

Spielberg is on the Arab League’s blacklist over a donation of $1 million from his foundation towards relief efforts following conflict between Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.

However, it’s possible that the decision could be overturned by the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, who is assessing the matter.

Though Amblin, Spielberg’s production company, has not officially commented on the reported ban, as it’s not received official confirmation from the Lebanese distributor, sources say that the move has come as ‘a shock’, not least because The Post was only days away from its premiere in Beirut.

(AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
(AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Previous recent Spielberg movies like The BFG and Bridge of Spies were both released in Lebanon without issue.

But the country banned the screening of Wonder Woman there last year, because its star Gal Gadot is an Israeli national and served in the Israeli military.

Recent tensions have been rising between Lebanon and Israel since November, with leaders in Israel braced for conflict with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The Post finds Tom Hanks as former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, and Meryl Streep as his publisher Katharine Graham as they grapple with the ramifications of uncovering classified and previously undisclosed documents relating to the Vietnam War.

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