UAE Ends Censorship Of International Films, Updates Ratings System For Mature Content

The government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ending its policy of censoring international films by introducing a new rating classification that designates content as being for mature audiences.

What Happened: The UAE’s Media Regulatory Office announced on Twitter Inc TWTR that a new 21+ age category has been added to its film content rating system.

“According to this classification, the international version of movies will be shown in cinemas, with an emphasis on the strict following of age classification standards for audience entry,” the agency tweeted.

See Also: Futures Trading With NinjaTrader: How To Short The Market With Futures

Why It Happened: The UAE’s decision follows media reports it was among five Arab countries to not allow the release of the Walt Disney Co.’s DIS “West Side Story” because of the inclusion of a transgender character played by trans actor Iris Mendas. IGN Middle East reported the UAE censors delayed the release of another Disney title, “Eternals,” because it included a gay couple and made numerous cuts to the MGM-United Artists Releasing “House of Gucci” due to that film’s sexual content.

The UAE has increasingly sought to position itself as a more liberal and Western-focused nation. On Dec. 8, the country adopted a 4.5-day work week and a Saturday-Sunday weekend, adhering to a Western work schedule while accommodating the Friday prayers for its majority Muslim population.

The UAE is currently hosting Expo 2020, a World’s Fair in Dubai that has attracted the participation of 192 countries under the banner of “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future.”

Photo: Actor Iris Mendas as Anybodys, the transgender character who caused the UAE government to block the release of "West Side Story." Photo courtesy Disney.