Black films banned in France ?

'Think Like A Man' is banned in France for 'lack of diversity'

 

Think like A Man is arguably the most successful black film of 2012, raking in $85 million in U.S. ticket sales since being released in April. However, the film has been met with harsh criticism oversees, and is banned in France, due to the predominately African-American film's "lack of diversity."

According to Global Voices writer Fabienne Flessel, "Surprising as it may be, the answer lies in the fact that the film has an all-black cast. French cinema is often pointed at for not fairly displaying all components of the country's multiethnic population. Although the recent success of the movie Les Intouchables, which earned French African actor Omar Sy the Cesar award for Best Actor in 2012, caused great pride and hope among French nationals from Africa and the Caribbean, it was not to be the turning point for a deep and lasting change."

This has been the second major race-based controversy in France in just the past few weeks. Last month the first 'Miss Black France' pageant sparked controversy within the French community.Critics of the contest claimed it was "stupid" and "detrimental to French values."
The banning of Think Like A Man in France due to a lack "diversity" is ironic because there are several American and international films with all white casts that have been released in French theaters this year. Titanic 3D, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett, American Reunion, starring Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, and Chris Klein, and Mirror Mirror, starring Julia Roberts, have all hit French theaters in the past year.


courtesy thegrio.com

One comment posted a response I would have said:

By your logic isn't a movie with an all-white cast directed towards a specific community? I saw the movie and it doesn't mention anything specific to race. It just happens to mostly have Black actors.
The argument doesn't hold up.