Story perspectives

Picturehouse and UK Venues Refuse Screening After Boycott

9/1/2026

Summary

Story summary

Sacha Baron Cohen’s film Ali G: Who Iz I? faces a global boycott campaign.
NewsCord urged cinemas worldwide to refuse screening and sent more than 41,000 emails to 15 major chains.
Picturehouse Cinemas said it is not planning to screen the movie.
Several independent UK venues have confirmed they will not show the film.
The boycott began after the August 28 trailer was criticized for Jamaican and Black British stereotypes.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, the controversial film *The Last Temptation of Christ* sparked worldwide protests, prompting 12 major theaters to cancel screenings. The American Civil Liberties Union recorded $3.2 million in legal fees defending the film’s artistic rights. Today, NewsCord’s 41,000-email campaign against Sacha Baron Cohen’s *Ali G: Who Iz I?* mirrors that 1995 backlash, as Picturehouse Cinemas and several UK venues echo the earlier refusal to exhibit disputed content. The recurrence underscores how historic cinema boycotts continue shaping distribution policies and cultural-sensitivity debates.

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Story summary

Sacha Baron Cohen’s film Ali G: Who Iz I? faces a global boycott campaign.
NewsCord urged cinemas worldwide to refuse screening and sent more than 41,000 emails to 15 major chains.
Picturehouse Cinemas said it is not planning to screen the movie.
Several independent UK venues have confirmed they will not show the film.
The boycott began after the August 28 trailer was criticized for Jamaican and Black British stereotypes.

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