Jordan banned on Wednesday the screening of a film that was deemed offensive to Palestinian prisoners, Qadri Abu Bakr, the chairman of the Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission, told QNN.

The move came after widespread criticism of ‘Amira’, which the Palestinian Authority described as a film that “unequivocably offends the history and struggles of the Palestinian prisoners.”

Watch | #Jordan stops screening "Amira" as the rejection of the movie went viral on social media platforms. #Palestine #فيلم_اميرة pic.twitter.com/1h7c5eXnLQ

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 8, 2021

The movie tells the story of a 17-year-old Palestinian, Amira, who discovers that she was born through the process of smuggled sperm as her father was detained by the Israeli occupation. However, as she grows older, she finds out that her father’s semen had been replaced with that of an Israeli prison guard, turning her life upside down.

According to Palestinian sources, more than 100 children have been born after their fathers’ sperm was smuggled from Israeli prisons over the past decade.

The PA warned against circulating the “controversial” film, stressing this would have serious repercussions “especially as it harms [prisoners’] families after they have children from sperm-smuggling.”

People are calling for the boycott of ‘Amira’, Jordan’s official entry at the Oscars. Campaigners say the film “insults the dignity” of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. pic.twitter.com/1DymE1aQ1G

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 9, 2021

In response to the controversy, “Jordan has officially decided to ban the broadcast of the feature-film ‘Amira'”, Abu Bakr said.

Palestinian activists and journalists launched an online campaign using the hashtag #Pull_Out_Amira to express their rejection of the film.

The film was co-produced by Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian filmmakers and shot in Jordan.

(MEMO, PC, Social Media)