"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" may be banned from Russian release, as the authorities fear the movie might spark ethnic conflict.

Russia's Federal Culture Agency denied that "Borat" is banned, but said Russian distributor Gemini Film consider the film unsuitable.

"From the agency's point of view there is material in the film that could cause offence to some confessions and nationalities," the spokeswoman said.

 

"Borat", the surprise winner of the U.S. box office race on its debut weekend, pokes fun at Kazakhstan as fictional Kazakh reporter Borat Sagdiyev makes a road trip across the United States following sex symbol Pamela Anderson.

The character, created by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen for his Ali G show, has angered officials in Kazakhstan, by saying women in Kazakhstan use to travel on the roof of buses and drink fermented horse urine.

A lot of ethnic Kazakhs live and work in Russia, as the country is a part of CIS and is a former Soviet Republic.

Nevertheless, "Borat" has most likely already made it to Russia on pirate DVDs and downloads, which hit Russian markets even before the movies are released in cinemas. 

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