Cambodia bans film for using temple as gang lair

CAMBODIA’S culture minister has banned a comedy spy film from showing in the country’s cinemas, claiming that it unfairly portrays the South East Asian kingdom.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle follows the story of a fictional British spy branch that teams up with its American counterpart to track down a drug lord.

Bok Borak, from the ministry of culture and fine arts, told The Phnom Penh Post that he took issue with the film’s use of what appears to be the Ta Prohm temple, a Unesco world heritage site, as a film set.

“After we reviewed the film we found some problems,” he said. “They used the Cambodian land – the temple – as the place where the terrorists stay and make trouble for the world.”

Westec Media, the film’s local distributor, called the decision to ban it “childish”. Cambodia has banned several films in recent years, including Fifty Shades of Grey, The Wolf of Wall Street and Jigsaw.