CAIRO: An Egyptian festival on Sunday went back on its decision to ban a Dutch film after what it said was a Dutch government apology for a short film attacking Islam directed by a far-right deputy.
After the apology of the (Dutch) cabinet … the committee agreed in less than a minute to take the film back into the festival, Naem Al-Baz of the Cairo International Film Festival for Children told AFP.
The festival had on Thursday decided to ban the children s film, Where is Sinterklass Horse? , because of a planned film by Dutch far-right deputy Geert Wilders widely expected to antagonize the Islamic world.
If the film ban had stood, it would have been the first punitive action taken by a Muslim country in response to Wilders film, which the MP has said he will show on the Internet in March.
The Dutch apology appears to stem from a press conference given by Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende on Thursday, during which he called on Wilders to re-think releasing the film because of the potential fall-out.
Three Dutch business confederations on Thursday also called on Wilders not to show the film as it will cause great risks for Dutch businesses and their employees abroad. -AFP
