The Media Regulatory Office said screenings will be shown without editing in their original ‘international version.’

In a new liberal move, the UAE Media Regulatory has put an end to cinema censorship, wherein films with adult content will no longer undergo editing or changes and will be released in cinemas without any restriction.

The Media Regulatory also introduced a 21 and above age rating for films on top of the previous 18+ category. The Media Regulatory Office said screenings will be shown without editing in their original ‘international version.’

“The movies will be screened in cinemas according to their international version, and the classification is given based on the standards of media content in the country,” the Media Regulatory Office said on Twitter on Sunday. The Regulatory stressed the importance of age classification standards for audience entry.

Although a majority of the international releases are given a go-ahead in the Emirates, it is not new for the UAE filmgoers to view movies with films with adult themes to have certain scenes cut.

Editing is mainly reserved for cinema performances, wherein content shown on home streaming services and airline flight services is rarely edited.

It is not the first time the UAE government has put restrictions on entertainment and leisure content. In 2018, the government said there must be age ratings on a broader range of content, including books and video games.

With the new move in place, Cinemas must strictly adhere to the new age rating, which will require inspecting customers’ proof of age and identification documents, the regulatory emphasised.