Words: Steve Brown

Samoa has banned Rocketman due to its depiction of homosexuality.

The new Elton John biopic has been praised around the world and is reportedly the first ever studio film to depict a gay sex scene.

However, just last week, it was reported that Russia had censored the same-sex sex scene featuring Taron Egerton as John and Richard Madden as John Reid.

Now, the Pacific nation of Samoa has banned the entire biopic as under it’s 2013 Crimes Act, sodomy is deemed an offence that is punishable by up to seven years in prison, even if both parties consent.

Around 97 per cent of the people in Samoa identify as Christian and the society is considered to be conservative and traditional.

The country’s principal censor Leiataua Niuapu Faaui told the Samoa Observer that homosexual acts on screen violated their laws and didn’t sit well with the country’s cultural and Christian beliefs.