Film distributors in Russia have attempted to censor the gay romance Supernova by removing scenes of two men having sex, and scrubbing the film of references to the two leads being a gay couple.
The Moscow Times reports that DTF–a series of Russian blogs–documented that “at least one scene where the characters try to have sex after a dramatic dialogue has disappeared from the story.” The paper further reports that DTF commentators said the gay relationship is still obvious, even with the edits.
Related: WATCH: ‘Supernova’ star Stanley Tucci weighs in on straight actors playing gay (and he should know)
Apparently, the distributor for the film in Russia, World Pictures, imposed the edits without the input of the filmmakers. They feared that Russia’s harsh anti-gay propaganda laws could open up the company to government oppression. Further reports state that World Pictures had also instructed critics not to make any reference to the leads–played by Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci–as couple, or to use the word “gay” in reviews.
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In a delightful twist, however, attempts to censor the film have also backfired. Critics commented that removing overt references to the couple’s sexuality actually makes the film even more touching.
“Now the ‘Russian’ version of Supernova even more clearly shows the huge social gap between us and the conventional West,” critic Yefim Gugnin wrote in his review. “The distributors, unwittingly, made this love story even more poignant, even thinner, removed it into a subtext, which, as you know, is stronger than any open text.”
In recent years, Russia has launched a harsh–and at times, violent–campaign against what the nation deems “homosexual propaganda.” LGBTQ activists in the country and surrounding nations are subject to intimidation, torture and death. As such, a number of western films dealing with homosexuality have also undergone heavy censorship, including Rocketman, Onward and Avengers: Endgame.
Cam
The critic says ““The distributors, unwittingly, made this love story even more poignant, even thinner, removed it into a subtext, which, as you know, is stronger than any open text.””
That’s the excuse Hollywood used for years. No, it isn’t stronger than open text.
JAWIWA
Exactly! That Russian critic is afraid of losing his job and possibly his life.
gevorg
xmeet.fun – Great project for single men, who are looking for sex partner
GayEGO
So sad we are still dealing with this discrimination, learn and evolve to this century!
Mack
Because of the hatred in Russia for LGBTQ that’s why the right wing dimwits are so pro-Russia
Prax07
Russia=Putin=Trump=GOP=Shit stains on the world. Can’t tell me the world wouldn’t be better off if all were gone permanently.
James (controversial2019)
“The distributors, unwittingly, made this love story even more poignant, even thinner, removed it into a subtext, which, as you know, is stronger than any open text.”
I do agree that sometimes the hint of/implied romanticism can create a more moving and touching story than when it’s explicit, but that’s when it was intended. Given that the censoring was not done with that in mind, but rather to censor the expression of same-sex love, I don’t think it’s appropriate to “look on the bright side” of the (subjective) unintentional “poignant subtext”.
Palto
Why even show the Film in Russia at all then?
Karlis
Here’s a thought. Maybe don’t offer the movie for distribution in Russia? Instead of censoring it because Vladimir Putin has a boner for anti-gay censorship? What do Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth think about this? I know that this would keep people in Russia who need to see movies like this from doing so, but surely it is not better to offer them a fake version when they don’t know that it’s been “sanitized.”
Paulie P
Why even make the film. I had high hopes for this movie and it could have ben so much better. on a scale of 1 to 10 a solid 4.
Donston
The movie itself is indeed rather middling. I feel a lot of these filmmakers don’t think they need to try. They believe just having “queer” characters or “gay relationships” is enough to make something distinct and interesting.