Glasgow Cinema Cancels Screening of Iranian Film “Muhammad (PBUH)”
A movie theater in Glasgow, Scotland, which planned to screen the Iranian film “Muhammad (PBUH), the Messenger of God”, cancelled its decision under pressures by certain Arab countries.
RT Arabic reported that the screening was called off due to unknown letters of threat by those opposing the movie.
The letters were reportedly sent from such countries as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Nigeria.
Sources said that the letters did not threaten the cinema staff, but the manager decided to cancel the screening in order to preclude possible problems and conflicts.
The decision, however, has been criticized by the British Muslim community who liked to watch the movie.
“We won’t allow them to portray Islam as an extremist religion. We have tried for years to live in freedom and peace beside all other religions in the British community,” British Muslims say.
Glasgow authorities have reportedly endorsed the Muslim community’s opinion and urged the movie theater owner to explain the reasons behind the decision.
It is not yet clear whether the film will be screened in Britain or not.
The movie, which is the first part of Iran’s big-budget trilogy on the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), premiered in cinemas across Iran on August 26, and attracted a large number of audiences.
A number of internationally-acclaimed professionals, including Academy Award winning visual effects supervisor and filmmaker Scott E. Anderson, three-time Oscar-winning Italian director of photography Vittorio Storaro and renowned Croat production designer Milijen Kreka Kljakovic collaborated in making the film.
Academy Award-winning Indian music composer Allah-Rakha Rahman has written music for the movie.
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