Lebanon bans Steven Spielberg's 'The Post'

Steven Spielberg's newspaper drama The Post is barred from releasing in Lebanon mere days ahead of its premiere in Beirut.

Lebanon is at war with Israel which resulted in making a 'boycott Israel' list that has names of filmmakers whose works will not be displayed in the country. The Post director became part of that list because of his Holocaust movie Schindler's List which featured a few shots filmed in Jerusalem, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Lebanese censorship board denied the certificate to the movie citing the 'list.' Lebanon's Minister of Interior Affairs and Municipalities has the authority to overturn the decision. 

Earlier in 2017, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman was banned from releasing in Lebanon because Gadot is an Israeli citizen and had served in their army. Spielberg is neither a citizen nor he had any ties with the army.

According to the report, the move comes as a surprise after two of Spielberg's movies The BFG and Bridges of Spies were released in the country. 

The Post, starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep in a story about the 1971 publication of the Pentagon Papers.

The movie was scheduled to release in Lebanon on January 18