User:Dhabyaalsuwaidi/The Dictator (2012 film)

Censorship
The film is banned in several member-countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, in particular nations with real-life leaders commonly described as dictators, including Belarus[40] and Tajikistan,[citation needed] described as "unlikely" to be shown in Turkmenistan,[41] shortened to 71 minutes by the censorship in Uzbekistan,[42] and banned from screens two weeks after its premiere in Kazakhstan.[43] Rumours were circulating that the film has been also informally banned from showing in Belarus,[44] but state officials denied this referring to deficiency of properly equipped movie theaters suitable for showing the film distributed exclusively in digital format.[45]

Outside of the CIS, only the censored version of the film was released in Pakistan, and the film was reportedly blocked from theaters in Malaysia.[46] In Italy, the reference to the "Italian Prime Minister" in the scene with Megan Fox was substituted by a generic "politician" to avoid reference to the then-president of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Silvio Berlusconi.[47][better source needed]

The film has been described by some critics as being Islamophobic, particularly noting the pronounced stereotype of Middle Eastern dictators, which are mostly Muslims.[48]

Islamophobic and Orientalist stereotypes
The film is reported to portray orientalist views about Arabs through visual symbols and attributes within characters and settings. "Aladeen" the protagonist, portrays a stereotypical Muslim Arab ruler identity, for example, his long dark beard and traditional Middle Eastern galabia are things that allow audiences to link his character to Arabs and Muslims. This is problematic, especially since there is a clear connection between "Aladeen" and Osama Bin Laden throughout the film, where both visual and auditory components suggest that there is a close friendship between them.

However, the controversial stance and negative depiction of Osama Bin Laden further reinforces the idea that all Arab dictators are terrorists and "barbaric". The film further allows for the generic and stereotypical ideas of Muslims and Arabs as backwards, and Arab dictators as barbaric, this can be seen through the visual comparisons between the West and the east. For instance, during "Aladeens" visit to New York, he and his men arrive riding camels, whereas the background of the city depict cars and other "modern" modes of transportation.

Furthermore, another misleading portrayal about Arabs is demonstrated through "Aladeen" hyper-sexuality, particularly the scenes where he is surrounded by his "harem", multiple women engaging intimately, which supports stereotypical exotic images of Arab women.

Orientalists' view of the "other" can also be seen in the exterior portrayal of "Wadiya", where visual elements continue to portray Arab countries as backwards. "Wadiya" encompasses a variety of unique qualities found in Arab regions, for example it's set in a desert climate and more prevalent, it's architectural design is heavily inspired by Ottoman and islamic motif. The visual cues direct audiences to associate harmful and "barbaric" dictators to Arab and Muslim countries that resemble "wadiya".

"Wadiya  flag is also said to resemble the flag of Iraq, especially due to both flags having similar lettering, which suggests that these depictions of "wadiya" as the "orient", the inferior nation to that of the "west" further exemplifies how Hollywood and Western media view and represent the East, especially when there is a political agenda at play. This is also reflected through "Wadiya  and the dictator' s intention of developing nuclear weapons to use against Western nations and Israel, which further demonizes Arab nations.

Audience perception
In 2016, a study was conducted to examine whether audiences accepted Humour and comedy in "The Dictator" where racist ideology exists. The results concluded that viewers, especially those who are white, atheist or did not practice any religion, didn't see that there was any anti-muslim racism present in the film. The article proposes three main reasons for this, first, the probability that the lack of knowledge about Muslim or Arab identities, which would have allowed them to recognise any stereotypical representation within the film. Another aspect mentioned relates to the narrow view of "anti-muslim racism", where terms used like "Islamophobia" steer the focus more on religious aspects rather than broader cultural dimensions. Finally, it is also suggested that if the film was enjoyed by the participants, they may change their responses about whether they thought the film illustrated content that is anti-muslim racism. This has to do with what responses align with societal expectations.