Russia bans award-winning film over 'porn'

Moscow, Aug 19 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A Serbian arthouse movie that swept a prestigious European festival this year was banned from screening in Russia, prompting allegations of censorship.

The film, "Clip", was banned over indecent language and scenes of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as "pornographic" depictions of sex between minors, Sam Klebanov, the head of Kino Bez Granits, the film's prospective distributor, said Saturday.

The ban was signed by Deputy Culture Minister Ivan Demidov, known for his radical Orthodox Christian views, Klebanov said.

The decision spells a new era for the culture ministry, headed since May by Vladimir Medinsky, a conservative-minded PR specialist with a controversial reputation, Klebanov said.

Clip, directed by Maja Milos, tells the story of a provincial teenager experimenting with drugs and sex in order to forget her near-dysfunctional family.

In January, the film split the main prize of the International Film Festival Rotterdam with two other movies. The jury touted it for an uncompromising and honest insight into the life of the "mobile generation".

The film was set to premiere in Russia Aug 30.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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