Russian Theaters Refuse to Show 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

By The Moscow Times

Feb. 11, 2015

A pedestrian walks past an advertising placard for the movie 'Fifty Shades of Grey' in Berlin. Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters

Movie theaters in Vladikavkaz, a major city in southern Russia, are refusing to show the erotic film "Fifty Shades of Grey" and now face hundreds of thousands of rubles in fines from the distributor, state news agency TASS reported Wednesday.

Theaters in other parts of southern Russia — in the predominantly Muslim regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia — are also reportedly refusing to show the film, which features graphic S&M sex scenes.

A theater manager in Ingushetia was quoted as saying that his theater doesn't show pornography.

Orthodox Christian activists in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, home to recent Olympic venue Sochi, also tried to have the film banned, but were unsuccessful.

The movie premieres in Russia on Thursday. Viewers must be over the age of 18.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue