List of banned films
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:02:46 PM Wikipedia source
For nearly the entire history of film production, certain films have been banned by film censorship or review organizations for political or moral reasons or for controversial content, such as racism, copyright violation, and underage immorality. Censorship standards vary widely by country, and can vary within an individual country over time due to political or moral change. Many countries have government-appointed or private commissions to censor and rate productions for film and television exhibition. While it is common for films to be edited to fall into certain rating classifications, this list includes only films that have been explicitly prohibited from public screening. In some countries, films are banned on a wide scale; these are not listed in this table.
Tables
· Afghanistan
1996–2001
1996–2001
Date
1996–2001
Title
All
Notes
During the reign of the Islamic Emirate government in Afghanistan, watching films or television was prohibited.
2008
2008
Date
2008
Title
The Kite Runner
Notes
Banned due to inciting violence.
2022-present
2022-present
Date
2022-present
Title
All foreign films
Notes
Starting May 2022, foreign films and programs deemed "indecent," critical of the Taliban, or promoting "foreign cultural values" were prohibited from being broadcast on television. This also included foreign films featuring women with uncovered heads or with immoral roles, and other banned programs. Alongside that, morality police shuttered shops s
| Date | Title | Notes |
| 1996–2001 | All | During the reign of the Islamic Emirate government in Afghanistan, watching films or television was prohibited. |
| 2008 | The Kite Runner | Banned due to inciting violence. |
| 2022-present | All foreign films | Starting May 2022, foreign films and programs deemed "indecent," critical of the Taliban, or promoting "foreign cultural values" were prohibited from being broadcast on television. This also included foreign films featuring women with uncovered heads or with immoral roles, and other banned programs. Alongside that, morality police shuttered shops s |
· Albania
1980–1990
1980–1990
Date
1980–1990
Title
Pas vdekjes (After Death)
Notes
Banned for ten years under Communist regime of Enver Hoxha.
| Date | Title | Notes |
| 1980–1990 | Pas vdekjes (After Death) | Banned for ten years under Communist regime of Enver Hoxha. |
· Algeria
1959
1959
Date
1959
Title
Ben-Hur
Notes
Banned from all Arab League states because actress Haya Harareet was Israeli.
2006
2006
Date
2006
Title
Borat
Notes
Banned in every Arab League country except Lebanon.
2023
2023
Date
2023
Title
Barbie
Notes
On 13 August 2023, just three weeks after its release on 19 July, the screenings of Barbie were halted in film theaters in Algeria. According to Reuters, the official source was quoted as saying that the film "promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances" and that it "does not comply with Algeria's religious and cultural beliefs."
| Date | Title | Notes |
| 1959 | Ben-Hur | Banned from all Arab League states because actress Haya Harareet was Israeli. |
| 2006 | Borat | Banned in every Arab League country except Lebanon. |
| 2023 | Barbie | On 13 August 2023, just three weeks after its release on 19 July, the screenings of Barbie were halted in film theaters in Algeria. According to Reuters, the official source was quoted as saying that the film "promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances" and that it "does not comply with Algeria's religious and cultural beliefs." |
· Argentina
1941
1941
Date
1941
Title
Los afincaos (The Sons of the Earth)
Notes
This film, based on the stageplay of the same name, had to insert a disclaimer at the start that the action of the film does not take place in Argentina, due to the pressure from the censors at the time.
1941
1941
Date
1941
Title
I'll Never Heil Again
Notes
Banned during the conservative period of authoritarian governments known as "Infamous Decade" (1930–1943), for lampooning Nazi Germany; Argentina had declared itself neutral during World War Two.
1947
1947
Date
1947
Title
La mujer más honesta del mundo (The Most Honest Woman of the World)
Notes
This comedy film had its screening forbidden in Buenos Aires by the Municipal Censorship Commission due to the conservative public criticising it as "condoning immorality". As a result, the film could be only screened in an ephemeral and circumstantial way in some points of the interior of the country.
1954
1954
Date
1954
Title
La Tigra
Notes
This film, based on the work of the same name written by Florencio Sánchez about the encounter of a woman known as "the Tigress" and a student of fine arts, was banned by the administrative authority after rating it as "not suitable for ages under 18", alleging "low quality" and covert moralism, excluded the film from the regime of compulsory scree
1963
1963
Date
1963
Title
The Silence
Notes
Banned because of "obscenity".
1968
1968
Date
1968
Title
Ufa con el sexo
Notes
Banned under Juan Carlos Ongania's regime during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973), for "violating morality standards". The film was later screened in 2007.
1969–1971
1969–1971
Date
1969–1971
Title
Los Neuróticos
Notes
This film about a psychoanalyst whose only goal is to impress the women who attend his group therapies, which was originally shot in 1969, was banned by the classification board, which was in charge of censoring films. The film underwent several cuts to submit it again in order to receive classification, but in September, the censors maintained the
1971
1971
Date
1971
Title
México, la revolución congelada
Notes
This documentary was banned by the Argentinian embassador of Mexico, at behest of the President of Mexico Luis Echeverria, who warned that the film was a fierce criticism of a betrayed ideal rather than a praise of the "revolution made institution".
1972
1972
Date
1972
Title
Valle fértil
Notes
This documentary film did not see a commercial debut and was banned in the Valle Fértil Department by the de facto comptroller Luis Martínez, who supposed that it was due to the comment on Revista Clarín magazine titled "Valle Fértil: un pueblo que se extingue" (Valle Fertil: A people in extinction"). The film would later be screened in 2014.
1972
1972
Date
1972
Title
Last Tango in Paris
Notes
Banned during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973), for being "pornographic".
1973
1973
Date
1973
Title
Los traidores (The Traitors)
Notes
This film, produced by Bill Susmann and based on Víctor Proncet's story La víctima, which was based on the self-kidnapping of a Peronist labor leader, was banned during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973) for its controversial themes (which was about a Peronist labor leader who becomes a corrupt functionary after years o
1973
1973
Date
1973
Title
Las Venganzas de Beto Sanchez (Beto Sanchez's Vendettas)
Notes
Banned during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973), due to its controversial storyline and themes. Its release was put "on hold" by the dictatorship until the democratically elected constitutional government of Héctor José Cámpora came to power, which allowed its distribution.
1974
1974
Date
1974
Title
Secuestro y muerte de Mr. Dupont (Kidnapping and Death of Mr. Dupont)
Notes
This drama film was not authorized to be screened by the military government and never premiered commercially.
1974
1974
Date
1974
Title
La Patagonia rebelde (Rebel Patagonia)
Notes
Banned under Isabel Perón's government (1974–1976) and Jorge Rafael Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983). The historical film is about the suppression of a peasants' revolt, known as "Tragic Patagonia".
1976
1976
Date
1976
Title
Piedra libre
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983) due to its "innmoral content", "attacks on family, religion, morals, the distinct social classes, tradition and the basic values of the Argentinian system of life, by the perverted and negative spirit which rings throughout the film, through its absurde the
1976
1976
Date
1976
Title
Last Days of Mussolini (1974)
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983).
1976
1976
Date
1976
Title
The Great Dictator (1940)
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for mocking dictatorships.
1978
1978
Date
1978
Title
Las largas vacaciones del '36 (Long Vacations of 36)
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for its sarcastic view of Francoist Spain.
1978
1978
Date
1978
Title
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for being "pornographic".
1978
1978
Date
1978
Title
Pretty Baby
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), due to child pornography concerns.
1979
1979
Date
1979
Title
Coming Home (1978)
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for its anti-war message.
1979
1979
Date
1979
Title
The House on Garibaldi Street
Notes
Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), because it depicts the hunt for Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann.
1985
1985
Date
1985
Title
Je vous salue, Marie (Hail Mary)
Notes
Banned due to "blasphemous" and sexual content.
1988
1988
Date
1988
Title
The Last Temptation of Christ
Notes
Banned for being considered as "blasphemy".
1989
1989
Date
1989
Title
Kindergarten
Notes
Banned for its controversial themes, school shooting, scenes of nudity and unsimulated oral sex. A court order required all copies of the film to be seized and a ban on its exhibition. The film was finally shown in a restored copy in 2010, as part of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival.
2014
2014
Date
2014
Title
Borrando a papá (Erasing Dad)
Notes
This documentary about six fathers estranged from their children after conflictive divorces and hardships to keep their bonds with their children was scheduled to be premiered in 2014, but due to a court measure, it could not be commercially premiered and thus, was uploaded on YouTube.
| Date | Title | Notes |
| 1941 | Los afincaos (The Sons of the Earth) | This film, based on the stageplay of the same name, had to insert a disclaimer at the start that the action of the film does not take place in Argentina, due to the pressure from the censors at the time. |
| 1941 | I'll Never Heil Again | Banned during the conservative period of authoritarian governments known as "Infamous Decade" (1930–1943), for lampooning Nazi Germany; Argentina had declared itself neutral during World War Two. |
| 1947 | La mujer más honesta del mundo (The Most Honest Woman of the World) | This comedy film had its screening forbidden in Buenos Aires by the Municipal Censorship Commission due to the conservative public criticising it as "condoning immorality". As a result, the film could be only screened in an ephemeral and circumstantial way in some points of the interior of the country. |
| 1954 | La Tigra | This film, based on the work of the same name written by Florencio Sánchez about the encounter of a woman known as "the Tigress" and a student of fine arts, was banned by the administrative authority after rating it as "not suitable for ages under 18", alleging "low quality" and covert moralism, excluded the film from the regime of compulsory scree |
| 1963 | The Silence | Banned because of "obscenity". |
| 1968 | Ufa con el sexo | Banned under Juan Carlos Ongania's regime during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973), for "violating morality standards". The film was later screened in 2007. |
| 1969–1971 | Los Neuróticos | This film about a psychoanalyst whose only goal is to impress the women who attend his group therapies, which was originally shot in 1969, was banned by the classification board, which was in charge of censoring films. The film underwent several cuts to submit it again in order to receive classification, but in September, the censors maintained the |
| 1971 | México, la revolución congelada | This documentary was banned by the Argentinian embassador of Mexico, at behest of the President of Mexico Luis Echeverria, who warned that the film was a fierce criticism of a betrayed ideal rather than a praise of the "revolution made institution". |
| 1972 | Valle fértil | This documentary film did not see a commercial debut and was banned in the Valle Fértil Department by the de facto comptroller Luis Martínez, who supposed that it was due to the comment on Revista Clarín magazine titled "Valle Fértil: un pueblo que se extingue" (Valle Fertil: A people in extinction"). The film would later be screened in 2014. |
| 1972 | Last Tango in Paris | Banned during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973), for being "pornographic". |
| 1973 | Los traidores (The Traitors) | This film, produced by Bill Susmann and based on Víctor Proncet's story La víctima, which was based on the self-kidnapping of a Peronist labor leader, was banned during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973) for its controversial themes (which was about a Peronist labor leader who becomes a corrupt functionary after years o |
| 1973 | Las Venganzas de Beto Sanchez (Beto Sanchez's Vendettas) | Banned during the self-styled "Argentine Revolution" dictatorship (1966–1973), due to its controversial storyline and themes. Its release was put "on hold" by the dictatorship until the democratically elected constitutional government of Héctor José Cámpora came to power, which allowed its distribution. |
| 1974 | Secuestro y muerte de Mr. Dupont (Kidnapping and Death of Mr. Dupont) | This drama film was not authorized to be screened by the military government and never premiered commercially. |
| 1974 | La Patagonia rebelde (Rebel Patagonia) | Banned under Isabel Perón's government (1974–1976) and Jorge Rafael Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983). The historical film is about the suppression of a peasants' revolt, known as "Tragic Patagonia". |
| 1976 | Piedra libre | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983) due to its "innmoral content", "attacks on family, religion, morals, the distinct social classes, tradition and the basic values of the Argentinian system of life, by the perverted and negative spirit which rings throughout the film, through its absurde the |
| 1976 | Last Days of Mussolini (1974) | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983). |
| 1976 | The Great Dictator (1940) | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for mocking dictatorships. |
| 1978 | Las largas vacaciones del '36 (Long Vacations of 36) | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for its sarcastic view of Francoist Spain. |
| 1978 | Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977) | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for being "pornographic". |
| 1978 | Pretty Baby | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), due to child pornography concerns. |
| 1979 | Coming Home (1978) | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), for its anti-war message. |
| 1979 | The House on Garibaldi Street | Banned under Videla's regime during Argentina's last-civil military dictatorship (1976–1983), because it depicts the hunt for Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann. |
| 1985 | Je vous salue, Marie (Hail Mary) | Banned due to "blasphemous" and sexual content. |
| 1988 | The Last Temptation of Christ | Banned for being considered as "blasphemy". |
| 1989 | Kindergarten | Banned for its controversial themes, school shooting, scenes of nudity and unsimulated oral sex. A court order required all copies of the film to be seized and a ban on its exhibition. The film was finally shown in a restored copy in 2010, as part of the Mar del Plata International Film Festival. |
| 2014 | Borrando a papá (Erasing Dad) | This documentary about six fathers estranged from their children after conflictive divorces and hardships to keep their bonds with their children was scheduled to be premiered in 2014, but due to a court measure, it could not be commercially premiered and thus, was uploaded on YouTube. |
· Australia
1972
1972
Date
1972
Title
Pink Flamingos
Notes
Banned on its initial release until the 1980s due to offensive content.
1975–1992
1975–1992
Date
1975–1992
Title
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
Notes
Banned on its initial release, but lifted after seventeen years.
1976–2000
1976–2000
Date
1976–2000
Title
In the Realm of the Senses
Notes
Banned because of obscenity, though a censored version was made available in 1977. Only in 2000 did it finally become available in its complete cut.
2003
2003
Date
2003
Title
Ken Park
Notes
Banned and refused classification in 2003 for graphic depictions of teenage sex, incest, and auto-erotic asphyxiation.
2011
2011
Date
2011
Title
The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)
Notes
Temporarily banned for cruel, disturbing, and sexually explicit content. A censored DVD version was later released on 23 February 2012.
| Date | Title | Notes |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Banned on its initial release until the 1980s due to offensive content. |
| 1975–1992 | Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom | Banned on its initial release, but lifted after seventeen years. |
| 1976–2000 | In the Realm of the Senses | Banned because of obscenity, though a censored version was made available in 1977. Only in 2000 did it finally become available in its complete cut. |
| 2003 | Ken Park | Banned and refused classification in 2003 for graphic depictions of teenage sex, incest, and auto-erotic asphyxiation. |
| 2011 | The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) | Temporarily banned for cruel, disturbing, and sexually explicit content. A censored DVD version was later released on 23 February 2012. |
References
- Kieślowski claimed that the film "had nothing to do with politics. It simply tells the story of a man who wants very lit
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/jan/15/news1
- "KVIFF | Magic Eye"https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/8/2582-magic-eye/
- France 24https://www.france24.com/en/20170617-wonder-woman-kindles-controversy-arab-world
- screencrushhttps://screencrush.com/movies-banned-around-the-world-list/
- Reutershttps://www.reuters.com/world/africa/algeria-bans-barbie-movie-media-official-source-say-2023-08-14/
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-north-korea-the-interview-banned-movies-20141222-story.html
- Un diccionario de films argentinos (1930-1995)
- Censorship: A World Encyclopediahttps://books.google.com/books?id=gDqsCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA807
- "Film Censorship in Argentina: 1958-1976"https://ejournals.library.vanderbilt.edu/ojs/index.php/lusohispanic/article/view/4207/2153
- Diario de Cuyohttps://www.diariodecuyo.com.ar/sanjuan/El-documental-del-Valle-que-se-filmo-hace-42-anos-y-al-fin-sera-estrenado-20140521-0128.html
- Un diccionario de films argentinos (1930-1995)
- "Beatriz Guido | Buenos Aires Ciudad - Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires"https://buenosaires.gob.ar/vicejefatura/derechoshumanos/mujeres-escritura-y-memoria/beatriz-guido
- Screened films Archived 2019-01-04 at the Wayback Machine - Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires (MALBA) (in Spanishttp://intranet.malba.org.ar/web/cine_pelicula.php?id=81&subseccion=peliculas_proyectadas
- Filmoteca Live: Italian Political Cinema Archived 2019-01-04 at the Wayback Machine 05-22-2015, CineramaPlus (in Spanishhttp://cineramaplus.com.ar/filmoteca-en-vivo-cine-politico-italiano/
- Header and presentation of "Mussolini: último acto" (Mussolini: Ultimo atto - 1974) - Filmoteca Copetes (Headers) Archivhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E487--9sdVE
- The Films Of Jean-Luc Godard (Cambridge Film Classics)
- Criterionhttps://web.archive.org/web/20140120212846/https://www.criterion.com/lists/170366-banned-criterion-s-forbidden-films
- Ten films banned in Argentina Archived 2017-10-03 at the Wayback Machine Malditos Nerds (in Spanish)http://malditosnerds.com/notas/id/12225/10-pelculas-prohibidas-en-Argentina#9
- The controversial production of The Last Temptation of Christ, by Alonso Díaz de la Vega Archived 2020-09-25 at the Waybhttps://moreliafilmfest.com/la-controversial-produccion-de-la-ultima-tentacion-de-cristo/