An Israeli film reportedly was dropped from an Egyptian film festival.
Organizers of the Cairo International Film Festival, which runs from late November to early December, decided to nix “The Band’s Visit” because it features a sex scene between Israeli and Egyptian characters, Yediot Achronot reported Sunday.
According to the daily, the Egyptian Film Actors Guild also succeeded in pressuring next month’s Abu Dhabi Film Festival to yank “The Band’s Visit.” Israeli media reported earlier this month that Abu Dhabi would be the first Arab venue to screen an Israeli film.
Organizers at both festivals did not immediately respond to queries on the report.
Egyptian professional and cultural guilds regularly call for boycotts against Israel.
“The Band’s Visit,” which swept Israel’s version of the Academy Awards, is about an Egyptian military band that becomes lost during a visit to the Jewish state.
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