Malaysia has joined other Islamic countries in banning the Hollywood biblical epic "Noah" starring Russell Crowe, decrying it as irreligious and saying it violates Islamic law against depicting prophets. A home ministry official Saturday confirmed that Paramount's latest big budget film, which has sparked an outcry among Muslim groups worldwide, will not be screened in predominantly Muslim Malaysia.
The film has already angered some Christian institutions in the United States over Crowe's reportedly unconventional portrayal of Noah, who is regarded as an important figure in both Christianity and Islam, AFP reports.
Malaysia's home ministry's Film Censorship Board unit chairman Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said a decision to ban the Noah film was made about two weeks ago.
"Yes, I can confirm that it has been banned by the board, the movie can cause quite a lot of anger and distress if it is shown in Malaysia," he was quoted as saying by The Malay Mail Online.
Abdul Halim said the main reason for the ban was the portrayal of Noah by Crowe, since Islam forbids visual depictions of any prophet.
Muslims make up 60 percent of multi-ethnic Malaysia's 30 million population, while Christians account for about nine percent.
Neighboring Indonesia, Egypt and United Arab Emirates have banned the film because of scenes they say contradict Islam.
Malaysia has censored other movies on religious grounds in the past, including Brokeback Mountain and The Passion of the Christ.
It has also occasionally pulled the plug on shows by foreign -- usually Western -- artists out of fear of angering conservative Muslims.
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Three Arab countries ban Hollywood blockbuster "Noah"
Three Arab countries have banned the Hollywood film "Noah" on religious grounds even before its worldwide premiere and several others are expected to follow suit, a representative of Paramount Pictures told Reuters on Saturday. Islam frowns upon representing holy figures in art and depictions of Mohammad in European and North American media have repeatedly sparked deadly protests in Islamic countries over the last decade, fanning cultural tensions with the West.
"Censors for Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) officially confirmed this week that the film will not release in their countries," a representative of Paramount Pictures, which produced the $125 million film starring Oscar-winners Russell Crowe and Anthony Hopkins, told Reuters.
"The official statement they offered in confirming this news is because 'it contradicts the teachings of Islam'," the representative said, adding the studio expected a similar ban in Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait.
The film will premiere in the United States on March 28.
Noah, who in the Bible's Book of Genesis built the ark that saved his family and many pairs of animals from a great flood, is revered by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. An entire chapter in the Koran is devoted to him.
Cairo's Al-Azhar, the highest authority of Sunni Islam and a main centre of Islamic teaching for over a millennium, issued a fatwa, or religious injunction, against the film on Thursday.
"Al-Azhar ... renews its objection to any act depicting the messengers and prophets of God and the companions of the Prophet (Mohammad), peace be upon him," it announced in a statement.
They "provoke the feelings of believers ... and are forbidden in Islam and a clear violation of Islamic law," the fatwa added.
Mel Gibson's 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ" on Jesus's crucifixion was widely screened in the Arab World, despite a flurry of objections by Muslim clerics.
A 2012 Arab miniseries "Omar" on the exploits of a seventh century Muslim ruler and companion of the Prophet Mohammad also managed to defy clerics' objections and air on a Gulf-based satellite television channel.
Pope Francis meets with Russell Crowe and blesses his latest film Noah
Pope Francis meets with Russell Crowe and blesses his latest film Noah
Russell Crowe, who plays the title character in the new Hollywood blockbuster Noah, has finally met with Pope Francis and had the Holy Father's blessing for the film. The pair were able to have a short discussion, multi-media entertainment group JustJared states. The actor said of his audience with the Pope, "it was an incredible privilege to be invited."
"Given the amount of controversy surrounding this film, and has been surrounding it for a year now, the fact we were invited to the Vatican was extremely kind," Crowe added.
Earlier, two scheduled meetings with the Pontiff were canceled at the last minute.
Originally the film star reached out to Francis over Twitter.
Last Wednesday Russell Crowe even attended the Pope’s weekly general address at the Vatican which is open to the general public.
The controversial movie Noah met with criticism in test screenings with members of the Jewish and Christian faith and was blocked from being released in Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE
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