A Russian media company has reportedly cut all scenes featuring gay sex and men kissing from the Elton John biopic Rocketman because of laws banning “homosexual propaganda”. The cuts were first reported by Russian journalists after the film’s 30 May release in Moscow. Conservative supporters of the law said it was needed to protect traditional family values and minors from “non-traditional sexual orientation”. In 2014 Putin said of the singer: “Elton John is an outstanding person [and] outstanding musician. Earlier reports said that 40 seconds could be cut from the film in a bid to lower the movie’s age rating.

Source: The Guardian May 31, 2019 12:33 UTC