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.
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