No ROCKETMAN in Samoa!?
By jsmith on June 12, 2019
Samoa has effectively banned the Elton John ‘Rocketman’ Biopic Over some of the more spicy scenes in the movie. The Pacific nation of Samoa has banned the Elton John biopic Rocketman because of its depictions of homosexuality. 97% of people in Samoa are Christian, and the local government is considered. Well, We’ll just say “traditional”.
Under Samoa’s 2013 Crimes Act, man love has been deemed an offense that is punishable by up to seven years in prison, even if both parties consent. Samoa’s principal censor Leiataua Niuapu Faaui told the Samoa Observer that the activity depicted on screen violated laws and didn’t sit well with the country’s cultural and Christian beliefs. So there you go.
The censor did concede to the newspaper that “It’s a good story, in that it’s about an individual trying to move on in life.” Apollo Cinemas Samoa wrote on Facebook that “due to censoring issues we have had to cancel Rocketman. Don’t expect Sir Elton to stress to much though, since opening 10 days ago, Rocketman has taken in about $101 million at theaters around the world.
