Cannes Bans Controversial Iranian Film

Cannes Marché du Film, or film market, has chosen to cancel screenings of The Anti-Semite, by controversial French comedian Dieudonne M’Bala M’Bala amid complaints that he is anti-Semitic. The Marché is where films during the festival are screened and sold for international distribution.

“Dieudonne is known for performances that routinely include Holocaust denial, praise for Adolf Hitler, Nazi salutes, slurs against the Talmud and other anti-Semitic rhetoric. He has recently garnered media attention in France after announcing his candidacy for Parliament as a member of the Anti-Zionist Party in upcoming elections," Abraham Foxman, national director of The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said in a statement.

"Anti-Semitism has no place at Cannes, and we welcome the clear statement to that effect from the organizers of the film festival," he continued.

The Anti-Semite, or Yahod Setiz as it is also known, is produced by the Iranian Documentary and Experimental Film Center, and will be screened on the Internet rather than having theatrical release. According to the ADL, the film "reportedly pokes fun at the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, where an estimated 1.5 million Jews perished during the Holocaust, and features Dieudonne as a violent and alcoholic character dressed as a Nazi officer for a fancy-dress party."

"Our general conditions ban the presence of all films threatening public order or religious convictions, as well as pornographic films or those inciting violence," Jerome Paillard, executive director of Cannes Marché du Film, told Agence France-Presse.

The Cannes Film Festival runs until May 27th.