Tunisia pulls 'Death on the Nile' from cinemas over Gal Gadot

The film has already been banned in Lebanon and Kuwait in protest against the Israeli actress' involvement

'Death on the Nile' is a murder-mystery starring Gal Gadot and Kenneth Branagh. Photo: 20th Century Studios via AP

Tunisia has become the latest country to pull the Gal Gadot film Death on the Nile from cinemas, following demonstrations against the normalisation of relations with Israel.

The Tunisian Ministry of Culture said the adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel will no longer be screened in the North African country. The film has already been banned in Lebanon and Kuwait in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The ministry and the country's visual arts authority agreed to ban the murder-mystery after a wave of protests condemning Gadot’s involvement in the film, which is directed by and co-stars Kenneth Branagh. Social media users noted Gadot’s support of the 2014 Israeli attack on Gaza, as well as her time serving in the Israeli army in her youth as part of a two-year mandatory service.

Cinemas in Tunis confirmed to AFP that they would no longer show the film.

“The main actress in the film is Israeli, was trained in the (Israeli) army and supports the colonisation of Palestinian territory," said Kaouther Saida Chebbi, head of an anti-Zionist woman’s movement.

Earlier this month, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas also reported that the GCC state would not show a film starring “a former soldier in the Zionist occupying army”.

Death on the Nile has also sparked a wave of protests in Jordan and Egypt, as many are calling for the film to be withdrawn from the countries’ cinemas.

Gadot’s 2017 film Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins, was also banned in several Arab countries.

Death on the Nile is a sequel to the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express, also directed by Academy Award nominee Branagh.

A classic whodunnit, the murder-mystery stars Gadot and Branagh with a roster of famous names, including Tom Bateman, Russell Brand, Letitia Wright, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Bollywood actor Ali Fazal. Controversial actor Armie Hammer is also in the film.

— With additional reporting by AFP