MADRID (AP) 鈥� Instagram has apologized for removing the official poster for Spanish director Pedro Almod贸var's new film from the social network because it showed a female nipple, after the poster's designer complained of censorship.
Instagram's parent company Facebook told The Associated Press on Wednesday that several images of the poster for 鈥淢adres Paralelas,鈥� which shows a lactating nipple, were removed 鈥渇or breaking our rules against nudity鈥� after they were uploaded on Monday.
鈥淲e do, however, make exceptions to allow nudity in certain circumstances, which includes when there鈥檚 clear artistic context. We鈥檝e therefore restored posts sharing the Almod贸var movie poster to Instagram, and we鈥檙e really sorry for any confusion caused,鈥� the company said in an emailed statement.
Facebook and Instagram's longstanding rules 鈥� and previous bans 鈥� have spurred the use of the #FreetheNipple movement and hashtag on Instagram, which is used by many artists and celebrities to portray nipples despite the rules. The ban does not extend to male nipples.
The poster's Spanish designer Javier Ja茅n told AP that he had questioned whether the poster would have trouble on social networks but stayed true to his vision after receiving the personal backing of Almod贸var. 鈥淗e told me that he had made films with posters his whole life, long before Instagram, and he would keep doing so after Instagram, too,鈥� Ja茅n said.
鈥淭his is probably the first image I saw when I was born. A company like Instagram tells me my work is dangerous, that people shouldn't see it, that it's pornographic. How many people are they telling that their body is bad, that their body is dangerous?鈥� Ja茅n added, noting he had received overwhelming support and thousands of people had reposted his poster on Instagram.
鈥淭hey say their technology can't differentiate the context. I don't care. Change your technology then,鈥� the designer said.
Ja茅n had written in a post that the poster had been removed from his Instagram page on Tuesday: 鈥淎s expected, @instagram took down the poster that we made for the latest Almod贸var film #madresparalelas.鈥� After reposting the image, he said, it was allowed to stay.
A request for comment from Almod贸var鈥檚 production company went unanswered.
鈥淢adres Paralelas," starring Pen茅lope Cruz, will open the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 1.
Jennifer O'mahony, The Associated Press
