5/9/2018 Religious protests against gay films show divide in...

| Daily Mail Online

Cookie Policy Feedback Wednesday, May 9th 2018 10AM 12°C 1PM 14°C 5-Day Forecast

Home News U.S. Sport TV&Showbiz Australia Femail Health Science Money Video Travel Fashion Finder
Wires Home Login

ADVERTISEMENT

Ad

Deichmann Slip On Shoe, Ladies Shoes beige

£34.99 £44.99 Slip On Shoe at Deichmann. 5th Avenue Ladies Slip-On
White These slip-on shoes...

VISIT SITE

Religious protests against gay ilms Site Web Enter your search

show divide in Romania ADVERTISEMENT

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 10:48, 19 February 2018 | UPDATED: 15:03, 19 February 2018

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Religious protesters in Romania have disrupted the

screenings of two movies featuring gay themes, saying they violate traditional
values. In response, a new screening of the Cannes award-winning movie "120 Beats
Per Minute" is going to be held Tuesday in Bucharest.

The dispute illustrates Romania's divided views about homosexuality, which remains
a di icult topic in the eastern European Union member where more than 85 percent
of its people belong to Christian Orthodox churches. Homosexuality was only
decriminalized when Romania prepared to join the EU in 2002.

Protesters calling themselves Christian Orthodox burst into a movie theater on Feb.
4 during the French AIDS drama "120 Beats Per Minute" by French director Robin
Campillo.

Like +1
Daily Mail Daily Mail

Follow Follow
@DailyMail Daily Mail

Follow Follow
@MailOnline Daily Mail

DON'T MISS
The royals as you've
never seen them before:
Amateur snaps of
Charles, Diana, Meghan
and Kate unearthed
+1 from fans' attics across
the country

FILE - In this Saturday, May 20, 2017 ile photo, a child holds a sign that reads "No to
homosexual marriages and adoptions" during a counter march before of a gay pride parade in
Bucharest, Romania. Religious protesters in Romania have disrupted the screening of two

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-5408341/Religious-protests-against-films-expose-divisions-Romania.html 1/3
5/9/2018 Religious protests against gay films show divide in... | Daily Mail Online
movies in Bucharest in Feb. 2018, saying they violate traditional values. The recent protests
illustrate divided views about homosexuality, a provocative and di icult topic in the European
Union member. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, ile)

Days later, protesters disrupted another movie featuring a relationship with a

Romanian man and an ex-convict from the nation's oppressed Roma, or Gypsy,
minority titled "Soldiers: A Story from Ferentari." ADVERTISEMENT

"(There's a) con lict between conservatives and liberals in Romania," Cristian

Parvulescu, dean of the National School of Political Studies and Public
Administration, told The Associated Press. "

Parvulescu says what's happening in Romania is similar to developments in other

former communist countries.

"We are in luenced by Hungary and Poland," he said

Protesters objected to "120 Beats" being shown at the Romanian Peasant Museum
because "the Romanian peasant is a Christian Orthodox."

They sang the national anthem and religious songs while others held religious icons
and banners saying: "Romania isn't Sodom" and "Hey Soros, leave them kids alone,"
referring to Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros.

The ilm, set in Paris in the 1990s, explores homosexuality and the AIDS epidemic. It
won the Grand Prize from the jury at Cannes in 2017.

At the protest for the second ilm, protesters played Gypsy rock music to drown out
the movie. Police were called in to break up the protest.

Dan Grajdeanu, who heads the Orthodox Brotherhood, believes the movies should
not have been screened at the museum, which he says is "not the place to air low
morality movies, that show homosexuality, pedophilia, pornography."

Filmmaker Cristian Mungiu, the distributor of "120 Beats Per Minute" in Romania, has
urged the culture minister and Bucharest mayor to publicly support the movie but so
ADVERTORIAL FEATURES
far they have remained silent. It will be reshown Tuesday at the same museum.
Travel Lodge
2 night stay in any
Parvulescu says politicians are "very circumspect" on gay issues due to the Travelodge hotel in the
UK, in a SuperRoom,
in luential Romanian Orthodox Church. breakfast included. (Worth
up to £500) Subject to
Last year, 3 million people signed a petition backing a referendum to amend the availability.

Romanian Constitution so it explicitly states that marriage only can be a union

Amazing Thailand
between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriages do not legally exist and are not Explore, discover, enjoy
amazing Thailand. Click
recognized even when couples legally marry elsewhere. to find out more >

The gay rights group MozaiQ condemned "the extreme gestures of some ultra-
Orthodox and conservative groups ... who propagate hate against the LGBT
community." It has urged Romanian politicians to "send a more decisive signal to Olympic Holidays
Win a chance to stay at
society that discrimination is not acceptable." the 5 star Mayia Exclusive
Resort & Spa
MozaiQ chairman Vlad Viski said the movies were about "freedom of expression."

"In a democracy, sexual minorities must be protected," he said. "Extremist, radical

speech has no place in a European democracy." Fidelity
How much do you need to
save for retirement?
___ Calculate now >

Nicolae Dumitrache in Bucharest, Romania contributed to this.

ADVERTISEMENT
Think You Know About
Family Health
Share or comment on this article: We asked you to take part
in or health survey to help
us get to know Britain
better - and the results
are IN!

International Money
Transfer
Compare the best
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. exchange rates in three
easy steps >

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-5408341/Religious-protests-against-films-expose-divisions-Romania.html 2/3
5/9/2018 Religious protests against gay films show divide in... | Daily Mail Online

Back to top
Home News U.S. Sport TV&Showbiz Australia Femail Health Science Money Video Travel Fashion Finder

Sitemap Archive Video Archive Topics Index Mobile Apps Screensaver RSS Text-based site Reader Prints Our Papers Top of page
Daily Mail Mail on Sunday This is Money
Metro Jobsite Mail Travel Zoopla.co.uk Prime Location Discount Codes Coupons

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

© Associated Newspapers Ltd

Contact us How to complain Advertise with us Contributors Terms Privacy policy & cookies

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-5408341/Religious-protests-against-films-expose-divisions-Romania.html 3/3