Zombie film falls foul of censors

A "gay zombie porn" flick which shows aliens engaging in necrophilia has been pulled from Australia's biggest film festival after being rejected by censors, AFP reported.

The UAE has sent representatives to market Emirati cinema at the event, as reported yesterday.

LA Zombie, which also features full-frontal male nudity, is the first film in seven years to be banned from screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival, which starts tomorrow.

Festival director Richard Moore told The Age newspaper he had received a letter from censors denying classification to the film by Canadian director Bruce LaBruce.
Described by Moore as a "video art zombie film", LA Zombie stars French adultn actor Francois Sagat as a man convinced he's an alien zombie sent to Earth to roam the streets of Los Angeles in search of dead bodies and gay sex.

Moore has defended the festival's attempt to show the film, telling public broadcaster ABC that the public has a right to judge it for themselves.

"They know they're not gonna go and see Fantasia or Bambi," said Moore.

LA Zombie will have its world premiere next week in Locarno, Switzerland.

But the festival has proved controversial in the past. Last year's edition drew protests from China and had its website hacked over the decision to show "Ten Conditions of Love", a biopic of Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer.