An LGBTQ and religiously-themed Singaporean movie that had its New York premiere this year was outlawed in the city-state because it would "sow social discord," according to officials.
The Singaporean director Ken Kwek's film #LookAtMe "exceeded the film classification criteria" and cannot be screened domestically, the industry watchdog Infocomm Media Development Authority said in a statement on Monday (IMDA).
The movie had its world premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival in July, where it competed for Best Feature and took home a Special Jury prize for Best Performance.
IMDA’s statement, issued jointly with the country’s culture and interior ministries, said the film “denigrates a religious community and has the potential to cause enmity and social division in Singapore’s multi-racial and multi-religious society”.
It revolves around a lead character who takes offence at a male pastor’s stand on homosexuality and posts an “incendiary” comment on social media which goes viral.
Tensions arise, with the protagonist “plotting a revenge attack” on the pastor, who is also portrayed as engaging in an act prohibited by his religious faith.
“The context may be seen to be suggesting or encouraging violence against the pastor,” IMDA said.
The team behind the movie said in a statement they were disappointed with the decision and will lodge an appeal.
“#LookAtMe is a work of cinematic fiction. The film seeks to entertain and encourage conversations on important social issues that are relevant to Singapore,” they said.
The team voiced hope that Singapore residents will be able to watch the film, which it said had been selected for screening at the Singapore International Film Festival in December.
While the city-state boasts a modern and vibrant culture, attitudes towards homosexuality remain conservative.
However, support for gay rights has been growing in recent years, with huge crowds attending Singapore’s annual Pink Dot gay rights rally.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in August said the country will repeal a colonial-era law criminalising sex between men but will continue to define marriage as between a man and a woman.