Spielberg's Holocaust Film Stirs Controversy Abroad

THE United States said Friday it regrets that some foreign countries are aiming to keep the recently made film ``Schindler's List'' out of their theaters.

``The Department of State regrets efforts by some foreign governments to prevent the showing of the Oscar award-winning Steven Spielberg film on the Nazi Holocaust, `Schindler's List,' '' State Department spokesman Mike McCurry said.

``The department believes that this film should be available to people worldwide, and that the most effective way to avoid the recurrence of genocidal tragedy is to ensure that past acts of genocide are never forgotten,'' McCurry said at a briefing.

``Schindler's List,'' tells the story of Oskar Schindler - a German industrialist who saved more than 1,000 Jews from Nazi death camps during World War II. The picture swept the Academy Awards this year - winning seven awards - including Best Picture and Best Director for Mr. Spielberg.

McCurry did not specify which countries had refused to show the film, but US officials indicated separately that ``Schindler's List'' may be banned, censored or otherwise restricted in Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Cuts proposed by Philippines censors were averted, however, when President Fidel Ramos overruled them. The movie has been shown in that country with no deletions.