‘Borat’ sequel may get disqualified for awards

Kazakh organization requests international shows to ban ‘Borat’ sequel from awards consideration.

In a petition, the Kazakh American Association requested award shows such as the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Directors Guild of America Awards to bar Sacha Baron Cohen’s ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’ from awards consideration on grounds of a racist portrayal of Kazakhs.

“The Kazakh community worldwide is underrepresented and inherently vulnerable,” the letter reads, adding, “Our nation is still recovering from an oppressive colonial past, which is why we do not have substantial media representation. Sacha Baron Cohen understands this fact and exploits Kazakhstan by hijacking our ethnic identity … inciting harassment toward Kazakh people worldwide. Our people report countless cases of sexual and physical harassment as well as bullying due to the Borat franchise.”

This comes as the film’s release on the Amazon Prime Video for October 23 was requested to be canceled.

Kazakhstan, a predominantly Muslim nation, is a Central Asian country and once again, Hollywood has targeted a Muslim population in this flick.

The Kazakhstan government is yet to react to the sequel as it did to the first film, which was banned in the country.

The Kazakh American Association adds that the sequel mocks Kazakh culture and traditions by exploiting them for a Western audience’s enjoyment.

AG/AG