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Few people would have thought that the war in Gaza would have an impact on a Disney remake. But the live-action version of the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has ended up not only being captured by the debate surrounding the conflict in the Middle East, but has also become yet another point around which the deep political and social divisions in the world today are manifesting themselves.
All this even before its global release, scheduled for March 21st.
The casting of actress Rachel Zegler, of Colombian descent, as the protagonist initially generated a negative reaction. More recently, it has been the actress' comments in favor of Palestine that have sparked criticism, as well as pro-Israel demonstrations by Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who plays Snow White's stepmother, the Evil Queen.
There is also an ongoing debate about whether there should be dwarves, with real actors or those made by CGI (computer-generated imagery).
With an often hostile reception, the film has inadvertently reflected the deep polarization that is increasingly stirring up society and politics in countries around the world.
Snow White has been in production since 2019, gaining traction in 2021 with the casting of Zegler.
Since then, the attacks surrounding her supposedly "woke" profile have multiplied, making the film a lightning rod for opinions that have little to do with the fairy tale on which it is based.
So much so that, in a recent article, the Hollywood Reporter asked: "Did a few PR blunders combined with 'anti-woke' outrage turn the movie's marketing into a poisoned apple?"
The editorial board of the New York Post - owned by Rupert Murdoch, the conservative tycoon whose company also owns Fox News - spoke out this week, declaring the film a...