Lebanon reverses move to ban Spielberg's 'The Post'

Movie lovers in Lebanon, Rejoice! Steven Spielberg's latest directorial venture 'The Post' will now be screened in the country after Prime Minister Saad Hariri stepped in to overrule a prospective ban.

Isaac Fahed, sales and distributor manager of one of Lebanon's largest cinema chains, Grand Cinemas, said the movie will open in theatres across the country on Thursday after "mediation" between the distributor and the Interior Ministry.

Distributor Italia Film, which is handling "The Post" in Lebanon, called the reversal "a big victory," and said that lifting of the ban is a result of the "unprecedented pressure" from the press, politicians and social media.

The Lebanese censorship board had recommended that the movie be banned, citing a "boycott Israel" list that includes Spielberg because his Oscar-winning 1993 Holocaust film Schindler's List shot some scenes in Jerusalem.

The ban recommendation was made because Spielberg is blacklisted by the Arab League for reportedly donating USD 1 million to relief efforts in Israel in 2016 during its war with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.

This is for the first time that the ban on a film has been overturned in Lebanon, where last year 'Wonder Woman' was blocked due to the fact that its star Gal Gadot had served in the Israeli military.

'The Post' is now due for a release in Lebanon on January 18.