映画『ボラット』続編、アマゾン・プライムで配信へ

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】英コメディアンのサシャ・バロン・コーエンがカザフスタンのテレビリポーターを風刺的に演じ大ヒットとなったコメディー映画『ボラット　栄光ナル国家カザフスタンのためのアメリカ文化学習』（2006）の続編が、11月の米大統領選前にアマゾン・プライムでストリーミング配信されることが関係者の話で明らかとなった。（写真は俳優のサシャ・バロン・コーエン）
　情報サイト「デッドライン」によると、続編は新型コロナウイルスによる規制が緩和された直後、最小限の製作班を伴って極秘に米国などで撮影されたという。
　批評家らから絶賛された前作は、世界総興収２億６０００万ドル（約２７０億円）以上をたたき出し、アカデミー賞で脚本賞にノミネートされた。
　第１作はコーエン演じる同性愛者嫌いの架空のリポーター、ボラットが米国で文化の相互理解を深めようとする中で大失敗を繰り返し、何も知らない地元出演者らの面目をつぶして笑いを誘うという内容だった。
　デッドラインは、続編でもコーエンが「正体を隠して人々をほんの少しだけ挑発し、彼らの本音やあからさまな差別を引き出す」と報じている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/10/01-11:42）

A sequel to the comedy Borat has been purchased by Amazon Prime and is expected to hit the streaming platform before November's US election, a source familiar with the deal told AFP Tuesday.
The movie will see British comedian and actor Sacha Baron Cohen reprise his cult favorite role as a bumbling and politically incorrect reporter from Kazakhstan, after nearly 15 years.
The 2006 original, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, grossed more than $260 million, winning over critics and spawning endless catchphrases among devoted fans. It even earned an Oscar screenplay nomination.
According to Deadline, the follow-up movie was shot covertly with minimal crew as soon as coronavirus restrictions eased this summer in the US and overseas.
The original saw Cohen's fictional and homophobic journalist blundering across the US in search of cultural enlightenment -- with the joke at the expense of Americans, who nevertheless lapped it up at the box office.
The sequel will again see Cohen going undercover to get people to reveal their true selves and their often unflattering biases, with only the slightest provocation, the Deadline report said.
The controversial satirist's anarchic, gonzo-style comedy has spawned multiple celebrated TV and movie characters such as wannabe rapper Ali G and gay Austrian TV presenter Bruno.
Cohen -- who also made the 2012 movie The Dictator starring himself as a Moamer Kadhafi-style despot -- was recently seen pranking public figures in the TV series Who is America?
In one memorable scene from the show, Cohen hoodwinked Republican politicians into endorsing a made-up plan to train preschoolers in how to fire a gun, although the show drew mixed reviews.
Sarah Palin, the former vice-presidential nominee and ex-Alaska governor, slammed the comedian's evil, exploitive, sick 'humor.'
Cohen plays a leading role in Aaron Sorkin's Oscar-tipped drama The Trial of the Chicago 7, streaming on Netflix next month.