Russia’s culture ministry denied it made any recommendations to cut scenes from the film.
The Russian version of the Elton John biopic Rocketman omits scenes depicting drug consumption and sexual encounters between men, prompting condemnation from Amnesty International.
Rocketman premieres in the U. S. on Friday and in Russia on June 6. Ahead of its official release, actor Taron Egerton, who portrays John, was praised for his acting and the film was labeled a “blast.”
While the film was commended for being a must-see, Russia’s version was criticized for censoring parts of the movie that violated the law titled “aimed at protecting children from information promoting the denial of traditional family values,” also referred to as the “gay propaganda law.” Censored scenes included those that showed kissing or sexual encounters between men and drug consumption, according to Amnesty International.
The closing credits, which allegedly show John and his husband David Furnish, were also censored from the Russian version, Amnesty International said.
