Singapore bans film for making gays look good

July 23, 2004

A Taiwanese film that has been huge hit throughout Asia was banned Wednesday in Singapore because it "creates an illusion of a homosexual utopia", government censors said.

"Formula 17" is about a romance between two teenage boys. It is one of the first Asian films to explore homosexuality as a love story and has been attracting sellout crowds in theaters throughout Taiwan.

The distributor proposed to the Singapore censors that it receive an "M18" rating meaning only people over the age of 18 could see.

Following an initial ban by the Board of Film Censors, Festive Films urged the Films Appeal Committee to allow the movie to be screened.

In rejecting the movie altogether, the FAC said in a statement that the film "creates an illusion of a homosexual utopia, where everyone, including passers-by, are homosexual, and no ills or problems are reflected".

"It conveys the message that homosexuality is normal and a natural progression of society," the FAC said.

Gay sex is a crime in Singapore, although the government has sent signals it may relax the law.

Copyright 1999-2004, AsianSexGazette.com.  All rights reserved.  No content may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission.  Please contact us via the link below for re-print and syndication policies.

Singapore may ease gay sex ban

Lesbian film fires up Hindu Hardliners

Dirty Movies