Iran vs. Mickey Rourke

«The Wrestler» and its star Mickey Rourke raise ire in Iran.

Winner of the Golden Lion in Venice, «The Wrestler» is considered one of the best films of the year by movie critics, who have called Mickey Rourke's performance a veritable comeback.

Iranian authorities are of another opinion, however. They have banned the movie in their country, outraged by a scene in which Rourke battles an adversary called «The Ayatollah» in the ring, a man draped in the colors of the Iranian flag, whose main symbols – the first letter of the alphabet, a sword and crescents – appear around his backside.

Since October 2005, all Western movies considered offensive to Iranian culture, promoting violence, drug & alcohol use, materialism, anarchy or feminism have been censored. Recently, «Persepolis», «300» and Oliver Stone's «Alexander» have all been banned in Iran.