Borat

2017-04-02T18:06:23Z

Captainllama: ce, replaced "Gaz ice-cream truck"

{{About|the film|the character|Borat Sagdiyev}}
{{Pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Borat
| image = Borat ver2.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Larry Charles]]
| producer = {{Plain list|
* [[Sacha Baron Cohen]]
* [[Jay Roach]]
}}
| screenplay = {{Plain list|
* Sacha Baron Cohen
* [[Peter Baynham]]
* Anthony Hines
* [[Dan Mazer]]
}}
| story = {{Plain list|
* Sacha Baron Cohen
* Peter Baynham
* Anthony Hines
* [[Todd Phillips]]
}}
| based on = {{Based on|[[Borat Sagdiyev]]|Sacha Baron Cohen}}
| starring = Sacha Baron Cohen
| music = [[Erran Baron Cohen]]
| cinematography = {{Plain list|
* Anthony Hardwick
* Luke Geissbühler
}}
| editing = {{Plain list|
* [[Peter Teschner]]
* James Thomas
* [[Craig Alpert]]
}}
| production companies = {{Plain list|
* Four By Two Films
* Everyman Pictures
* [[Dune Entertainment]]
* Major Studio Partners
* One America Productions
* [[Ingenious Media]]
}}
| distributor = [[20th Century Fox]]
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2006|08|04|[[Traverse City Film Festival|Traverse City]]|2006|11|02|United Kingdom|2006|11|03|United States}}
| runtime = 84 minutes<ref>{{cite web|title=BORAT - CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN |url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/borat-cultural-learnings-america-make-benefit-glorious-nation-kazakhstan-2006-0 |publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |accessdate=9 September 2013}}</ref>
| country = {{Plain list|
* United Kingdom
* United States<ref>{{cite web|title=Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) |url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b8bdeb6bf |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |accessdate=18 December 2014}}</ref>
}}
| language = {{Plain list|
* English
* Hebrew
* Armenian
}}
| budget = $18 million<ref name="Mojo">{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=borat.htm |title=Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] |accessdate=20 March 2010}}</ref>
| gross = $261.6 million<ref name="Mojo"/>
}}

'''''Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'''''  (or simply '''''Borat''''') is a 2006 [[United Kingdom|British]]-[[US|American]] [[mockumentary]] [[comedy film]]. The film was written and produced by British comedian [[Sacha Baron Cohen]] who also plays the title character, [[Borat Sagdiyev]], a fictitious [[Kazakhs|Kazakh]] journalist travelling through the United States recording real-life interactions with Americans. The film was directed by [[Larry Charles]] and distributed by [[20th Century Fox]]. Much of the film features unscripted vignettes of Borat interviewing and interacting with Americans, who believe he is a foreigner with little or no understanding of American customs.<ref name="Salon">Marchese, David and Paskin, Willa. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090220195735/http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2006/11/10/guide_to_borat/print.html What's real in "Borat"?] Salon.com, 10 November 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-07.</ref> It is the second of three films built around Baron Cohen's characters from ''[[Da Ali G Show]]'' (2000–04): the first, ''[[Ali G Indahouse]]'', was released in 2002, and featured a [[Cameo appearance|cameo]] by Borat, and the third, ''[[Brüno (film)|Brüno]]'', was released in 2009. The film is produced by Baron Cohen's production company, Four By Two Productions ("Four By Two" is [[Rhyming slang|Cockney rhyming slang]] for "Jew").<ref>Partridge, Eric (2002). "Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English". p. 422. Routledge 2002</ref>

Baron Cohen won the [[Golden Globe Award]] for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]], as Borat, while the film was nominated for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]] in the same category.<ref name="Globe">[http://www.hfpa.org/nominations/index.html "Nominations & winners"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514022142/http://www.hfpa.org/nominations/index.html |date=14 May 2007 }}, ''[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]]'', 2006. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref> ''Borat'' was also nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]] at the [[79th Academy Awards]].

Controversy surrounded the film from two years prior to its release, and after the film's release, some cast members spoke against, and even sued, its creators. It was banned in all [[Arab world|Arab countries]] except [[Lebanon]] and heavily censored in [[United Arab Emirates]] ,<ref name="Guardian-01Dec06">{{Cite news|publisher=The Guardian|url= http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1961870,00.html |work=Guardian Unlimited Film|date=1 December 2006|title= Arab countries ban Borat|accessdate=17 March 2007 | location=London}}</ref> and the [[Government of Russia|Russian government]] discouraged Russian cinemas from showing it.<ref name="Russiaban">{{cite news|work= International Herald Tribune|publisher = New York Times|date=9 November 2006|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/world/europe/09iht-borat.3473790.html?_r=0|title=Moscow gives 'Borat' a thumb's down|accessdate=9 April 2013}}</ref> It was released on DVD 5 March 2007 (a day later in [[DVD region code|Region 1]] countries).

==Plot==
At the behest of the Kazakh Ministry of Information, reporter Borat Sagdiyev leaves [[Kazakhstan]] for the "Greatest Country in the World", the "U, S and A", to make a [[documentary]]. He leaves behind his wife Oksana and other inhabitants of his village – including his "43-year-old" mother, "No. 4 prostitute in all of Kazakhstan" sister, "the town rapist", and "the town mechanic and abortionist". His companions are his producer [[Azamat Bagatov]] and a pet hen.

In New York, Borat sees an episode of ''[[Baywatch]]'' on TV and immediately falls in love with [[Pamela Anderson]]'s character, [[C. J. Parker]]. While interviewing and mocking a panel of [[feminist]]s, he learns of the actress' name and her residence in [[California]]. Borat is then informed by telegram that Oksana has been killed by a bear. Delighted, he secretly resolves to travel to California and make Anderson his new wife. He makes excuses to convince Azamat to travel to California with him. Azamat is afraid of flying because of the [[September 11, 2001, attacks]], which he believes were [[9/11 conspiracy theories#Israel|the work of Jews]]. Borat, therefore, takes driving lessons and buys a dilapidated Gaz ice-cream truck (a 1974 AM General Fj8 Base 3.8l<ref>http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/jeep-1049884/</ref>) for the journey.

During the trip, Borat acquires a ''Baywatch'' booklet at a [[yard sale]] and continues gathering footage for his documentary. He meets [[gay pride parade]] participants, politicians [[Alan Keyes]] and [[Bob Barr]], and [[African American]] youths. Borat is also interviewed on live television and disrupts the weather report. Visiting a rodeo, Borat excites the crowd with [[Jingoism|jingoistic]] American remarks, but then sings a fictional [[Meniñ Qazaqstanım|Kazakhstani national anthem]] to the tune of "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]", receiving a strong negative reaction. Staying at a [[bed-and-breakfast]], Borat and Azamat are stunned to learn their hosts are Jewish. Fearful at the hands of their hosts, the two escape after throwing money at two [[Woodlouse|woodlice]], believing they are their Jewish hosts transformed. Borat attempts to buy a handgun to defend himself, but is turned away because he is not an American citizen. Borat purchases a bear for protection.

Borat seeks advice from an etiquette coach who suggests Borat attend a private dinner at an eating club in the [[Southern United States|South]]. During the dinner, he (unintentionally) insults or otherwise offends the other guests. When he lets Luenell, an African-American prostitute, into the house and shows her to the table, they both get kicked out. Borat befriends Luenell, and she invites him into a relationship with her, but he tells her that he is in love with someone else. Borat then visits an antique shop with a display of [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] heritage items, and clumsily breaks various items.

At a hotel, Borat, just out of the bath, sees Azamat [[Masturbation|masturbating]] over a picture of Pamela Anderson in the ''Baywatch'' booklet. An angry Borat accidentally reveals his real motive for traveling to California. Azamat becomes livid at Borat's deception, and the situation escalates into a fully nude brawl with homoerotic undertones,<ref>Rabin, Nathan. [http://www.avclub.com/content/node/54822 Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan.] A.V. Club, 2 November 2006. Retrieved on 9 April 2007.</ref> which spills out into the hallway, a crowded elevator, and ultimately into a packed convention ballroom. The two are finally separated by security guards.

As a result, Azamat abandons Borat, taking his passport, all of their money, and their bear (whose head is later seen inside Azamat's motel refrigerator). Borat's truck runs out of gas, and he begins to [[hitchhiking|hitchhike]] to California. He is soon picked up by drunken [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity]] brothers from the [[University of South Carolina]]. On learning the reason for his trip, they show him the ''Pam and Tommy'' [[sex tape]], revealing that she is not the virgin he thought she was. After leaving the three students, Borat becomes despondent, burning the ''Baywatch'' booklet and, by mistake, his return [[ticket (admission)|ticket]] to Kazakhstan. He is also about to slaughter his pet hen, but then changes his mind and lets it go.

Borat attends a [[United Pentecostal Church|United Pentecostal]] camp meeting, at which [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] [[Chip Pickering]] and [[Supreme Court of Mississippi|Mississippi Supreme Court]] Chief Justice [[James W. Smith, Jr.]] are present. He regains his faith, and forgives Azamat and Pamela. He accompanies church members on a bus to Los Angeles and disembarks to find Azamat dressed as [[Oliver Hardy]] (though Borat thinks that he is dressed as [[Adolf Hitler]]). The two reconcile and Azamat tells Borat where to find Pamela Anderson. Borat finally comes face-to-face with Anderson at a book signing at a [[Virgin Megastores|Virgin Megastore]]. After showing Anderson his "traditional marriage sack", Borat pursues her throughout the store in an attempt to [[Bride kidnapping|abduct her]] until he is tackled and handcuffed by security guards. Borat visits Luenell and they return to Kazakhstan together.

The final scene (set 8 months later) shows the changes that Borat's observations from America have brought to his village, including the apparent conversion of the people to [[Christianity]] (the Kazakh version of which includes [[crucifixion]] and torturing of Jews) and the introduction of computer-based technology, such as [[iPod]]s, laptop computers and a high-definition, [[LCD]] television.

The film plays out with a recapitulation of a mock Kazakhstan national anthem glorifying the country's potassium resources and its prostitutes as being the second cleanest in the region. The visual melange of Soviet-era photos are mixed with the real flag of Kazakhstan and, incongruously, the final frames show the portrait of [[Ilham Aliyev]], real-life president of [[Azerbaijan]], a country that had not been otherwise mentioned in the film.

==Cast==
[[File:Borat in Cologne.jpg|right|thumb|Sacha Baron Cohen in character as Borat, at the [[Cologne]] premiere of the film]]
* [[Sacha Baron Cohen]] as [[Borat Sagdiyev]], a fictional [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] journalist, distinguished by exaggeratedly strong [[antisemitism]], [[sexism]], and [[antiziganism]], which is depicted as apparently the norm in his homeland. Borat was originally created as a character for ''[[Da Ali G Show]]'' and appeared in every episode of the show, along with a cameo in the [[Ali G Indahouse|film spin-off]].
* [[Ken Davitian]] as [[Azamat Bagatov]], the producer of Borat's documentary. Azamat was a new character created for the film.
* [[Luenell Campbell|Luenell]] as Luenell the prostitute; first seen when Borat calls her to come to the Southern dinner, the climax of his effective destruction of the event.
* [[Pamela Anderson]] as herself; she plays a central role in the film as the reason for the journalist's cross country journey. She also appears in person at the end of the film, in a botched abduction attempt by Borat for cultural "marriage".<ref name="postpam"/>
* When Borat seeks advice from an etiquette coach, he goes on to show nude photos of his allegedly teenaged son.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,305006,00.html|date=25 October 2007|author=Gregorian, Dareh|title=Etiquette Expert Pranked in 'Borat' Sues|publisher=[[Fox News|foxnews.com]]|accessdate=11 January 2011}}</ref> These photos actually show [[gay]] [[porn star]] [[Stonie]],<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.gaywebmasters.com/news/pr/gay_xxx_star_stonie_portrays_teen_son_of_borat/|title = Gay XXX Star, STONIE, Portrays Teen Son Of Borat|date = 8 November 2006|accessdate = 14 December 2010|publisher = gaywebmasters.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://perezhilton.com/2008-01-11-borats-son-becomes-borats-daughter|title = Borat's Son Becomes Borat's Daughter!!!|date = 11 January 2008|accessdate = 14 December 2010|author = Hilton, Perez|authorlink = Perez Hilton|publisher = [[Perez Hilton|perezhilton.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jasoncurious.com/desk/2008/01/stonie-becomes-woman.html |title=Stonie Becomes A Woman |author=Sechrest, Jason |authorlink=Jason Sechrest |publisher=[[JasonCurious.com|jasoncurious.com]] |date=9 January 2008 |accessdate=14 December 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208204059/http://www.jasoncurious.com:80/desk/2008/01/stonie-becomes-woman.html |archivedate=8 December 2010 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.gayporntimes.com/hardnews/2008/01/10/meet-brittany-coxxx-aka-stonie/|title = Meet Brittany Coxxx (a.k.a. Stonie)|date = 10 January 2008|accessdate = 13 December 2010|author = Adams, J. C.|authorlink = JC Adams|publisher = The Adams Report (gayporntimes.com)}}</ref> who was chosen because producers were seeking "someone who would look 13 or 14 but was actually of legal age and would do frontal nudity".<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2006/11/the-gay-porn-star-who-plays-borats-son.php|title = Revealed: Borat's Son a Gay Porn Star|date = 27 October 2008|accessdate = 13 December 2010|publisher = [[RadarOnline|radaronline.com]]}}</ref>

==Production==
[[File:Pam Anderson 2009.jpg|alt=|thumb|upright|Actress and model Pamela Anderson was one of the few actors in the film and was privy to its in-jokes.]]
Except for Borat, Azamat, Luenell, and Pamela Anderson, none of the characters are portrayed by actors.<ref name="Salon"/><ref name="postpam">{{Cite news|first=Larry|last=Carroll|url= http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1544909/20061103/story.jhtml |work=[[MTV]]|date=6 November 2006|title=Was Pamela Anderson In On The Joke? A 'Borat' Investigation|accessdate=1 September 2010}}</ref><ref>Gonshor, Adam. [http://www.andpop.com/article/8351 Meet Actor Ken Davitian, the Real Azamat from Borat.] andPOP.com, 7 February 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.</ref> Most scenes in the film were unscripted,<ref name="Salon"/> although the end credits do credit a "Naked Fight Coordinator". In most cases, the film's participants were given no warning on what they would be taking part in except for being asked to sign release forms agreeing not to take legal action against the film's producers.<ref name="canttouchme">Engber, Daniel. [http://www.slate.com/id/2151865/ Borat Tricked Me! Can't I Sue Him or Something?] Slate.com, 24 October 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.</ref>

[[Principal photography]] was already under way in January 2005, when Baron Cohen caused a near riot in what would ultimately be the rodeo scene in the final cut of the film.<ref name="Rodeo">{{cite news|title=Rodeo in Salem gets unexpected song rendition|newspaper=The Roanoke Times|date=9 January 2005|author=Laurence Hammack|url=http://ww2.roanoke.com/news/roanoke%5C16655.html}}</ref> An interview with Baron Cohen by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' indicated that more than 400 hours of footage had been shot for the film.<ref>Strauss, Neil. [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/sacha_baron_cohen_the_real_borat_finally_speaks/page/2 The Man Behind The Mustache. (page 2)] Rolling Stone, 14 November 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.</ref>

===Location===
The "[[Kazakhstan]]" depicted in the film has little or no relationship with the actual country, and the producers explicitly deny attempting to "convey the actual beliefs, practices or behaviour of anyone associated with Kazakhstan" in the [[all persons fictitious disclaimer|"all persons fictitious" disclaimer]]. The scenes showing Borat's home village were filmed in the village of [[Glod, Dâmboviţa|Glod]], [[Romania]].<ref name="killborat">{{cite news |url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/Entertainment/story?id=2659018&page=2 | work=[[ABC News]]| title= 'If I See Borat, I Will Kill Him With My Own Hands'|date=17 November 2006|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref> The name of Borat's neighbour, Nursultan Tuyakbay, is a cross between the names of Kazakh President [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] and opposition politician [[Zharmakhan Tuyakbay]].

===Language===
No [[Kazakh language]] is heard in the film. Borat's neighbours in Kazakhstan were portrayed by [[Romani people]], who were unaware of the film's subject. The [[Cyrillic alphabets|Cyrillic alphabet]] used in the film is the [[Russia]]n form, not the [[Kazakh alphabet|Kazakh one]], although most of the words written in it (especially the geographical names) are either misspelled or make no sense at all. The English words are typed on an English keyboard with a Russian language setting. The lettering on the aircraft in the beginning of the film is merely the result of Roman characters on a reversed image, while promotional materials spell "'''BORДT'''" with a [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]] [[De (Cyrillic)|letter for D]] substituted for the "A" in [[Faux Cyrillic]] style typically used to give a "Russian" appearance. Sacha Baron Cohen speaks [[Hebrew]] in the film, while Ken Davitian speaks [[Armenian language|Armenian]].<ref name="theygetit">[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1975928,00.html Secret of Borat's fluent Kazakh – it's Hebrew.] The Guardian, 20 December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.</ref> They also use several common phrases from [[Slavic languages]]: Borat's trademark expressions "''jagshemash''" (jak się masz) and "''chenquieh''" (dziękuję) echo the [[Polish language|Polish]] (or other related languages) for "''How are you?''" and "''thank you''", respectively.<ref>[http://www.zem.co.uk/polish/basicvoc.htm Basic Polish vocabulary for survival] Zem.com. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref> While presenting his house, Borat says "''tishe''" to his [[house-cow]]; "tiše/тише" is Russian (similar words exist in other Slavic languages) for "quiet(er)" or "be quiet".<ref>[http://mertsahinoglu.com/research/english-russian-associative-dictionary/ English-Russian associative dictionary]. Retrieved on 30 October 2009.</ref>

===Deleted scenes===
The DVD included several [[deleted scene]]s from the film, including Borat being questioned by police at a traffic stop, visiting an animal shelter to get a bear to protect him from Jews, getting a massage at a hotel, and visiting an American doctor. There is also a montage of scenes cut from the film, including Borat taking a job at [[Krystal (restaurant)|Krystal]] and taking part in an [[American Civil War]] [[American Civil War reenactment|reenactment]]. The deleted scenes menu also includes an intentionally tedious supermarket sequence with an unusually patient supermarket owner (Borat repeatedly asks about each product in the cheese section of the store and the owner responds the same way: "That's cheese"), an actual local TV news report about Borat's rodeo singing, and a final "happy ending" scene about Borat appearing in a Kazakh show entitled "''Sexydrownwatch''", a ''[[Baywatch]]'' clone that also starred Azamat, Luenell and [[Alexandra Paul]]. A scene in which Borat "started pretending he was being arrested" was also filmed, but was removed under the threat of legal action by prison officials when they learned that the "documentary" was a satire.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://articles.latimes.com/2006/dec/04/entertainment/et-borat4|title= ''Borat'' crew ends up shooting blanks in jail|author=Tony Perry |date= 4 December 2006|website= latimes.com|publisher= ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''|accessdate=12 February 2014}}</ref> In an interview, one of the film's writers, [[Dan Mazer]], confirmed that there was a scene filmed but cut in which Borat observed the shooting of actual pornography with actress [[Brooke Banner]]. Mazer stated that the scene was deleted so as not to compete with the naked hotel fight, but hinted it might be included in future DVD releases.<ref name="Mazer">[http://www.fantasymoguls.com/Video.aspx?bcpid=326858045&bclid=323642767&bctid=353579070 "Porn Scene Cut from Borat"], FantasyMoguls.com. Retrieved on 18 January 2007</ref> In a 2016 interview on ''[[Conan (talk show)|Conan]]'', Cohen elaborated on the deleted scene in which he was featured in the pornographic film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vulture.com/2016/03/sacha-baron-cohen-borat-porno.html|title= Sacha Baron Cohen Recalls the Time Borat Tried to Help Make a Porno|author=Sean Fitz-Gerald|date=3 March 2016 |publisher = ''[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]''|accessdate=9 July 2016}}</ref>

==Release==
[[File:Borat ComicCon 2006.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat at the 2006 Comic Con, promoting the film]]

===Previews===
''Borat'' was previewed at the 2006 [[Comic-Con International]] in [[San Diego, California]], on 21 July 2006.<ref name="Comiccon">[http://www.movieweb.com/news/06/13706.php MovieWeb.com]: "COMIC-CON 2006: Fox Unveils Eragon", Reno 911 Miami, Borat and Pathfinder. Retrieved on 21 December 2006</ref> Its first screening to a paying audience was during the 2006 [[Traverse City Film Festival]],<ref name="Traverse">Snyder, Gabriel. [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117948095.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Variety.com]: "Moore takes the floor". Retrieved on 21 December 2006</ref> where it won the Excellence in Filmmaking Award.<ref name="Traverseresults">[http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/aug/08ff-awards.htm 2006 Traverse City Film Festival Awards], ''Traverse City Record Eagle'', 7 August 2006. Retrieved on 21 December 2006.</ref>

The film's official debut was in [[Toronto]] on 7 September 2006, at the [[Ryerson University]] Theatre during the [[Toronto International Film Festival]]. Baron Cohen arrived in character as Borat in a cart pulled by women dressed as peasants. Twenty minutes into the showing, however, the projector broke. Baron Cohen performed an impromptu act to keep the audience amused, but ultimately all attempts to fix the equipment failed.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3301743,00.html|title= ''Borat'' satire turns to farce in Toronto|author= |date= 9 October 2006|website= ynetnews.com|publisher= Yedioth Internet|accessdate=12 February 2014}}</ref><ref name="Scotsman">{{cite web | url=http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1330352006 | title='Borat' satire turns to farce at Toronto festival | publisher=Scotsman.com | date=8 September 2006 | accessdate=21 December 2006 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912062843/http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1330352006 | archivedate=12 September 2006}}</ref> The film was successfully screened the following night, with [[Dustin Hoffman]] in attendance.<ref name="USTODAYToronto">"[http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-09-08-live-toronto_x.htm What's happening at the Toronto Film Fest?]", ''USA Today'', 17 September 2006. Retrieved on 21 December 2006</ref>

In [[Israel]], a proposed poster depicting Borat in a [[sling bikini]] was rejected by the film's advertising firm in favour of one showing him in his usual suit.<ref>{{Cite news|publisher=Haaretz|url= http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/790394.html|work=Haaretz.com|date=20 November 2006|title= Posters advertising Borat movie sanitized for Israeli consumption|accessdate=15 January 2007}}</ref> The film helped popularize the term "[[Sling swimsuit|mankini]]".

===Scaled-back U.S. release===
The film opened at No. 1 in the box office, maintaining first place for two weeks straight. The film earned more in the second week ($28,269,900) than in the first ($26,455,463), due to an expansion onto 2,566 screens.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443453/business |work=[[IMDB]]|title=Box Office and Business for Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan|accessdate=9 March 2007}}</ref>

===Theatrical release===
''Borat'' had its public release on 1 November 2006 in Belgium. By 3 November 2006, it had opened in the United States and Canada, as well as in 14 European countries. Upon its release, it was a massive hit, taking in US$26.4 million in its opening weekend, the highest ever in the United States and Canada for a film released in fewer than 1,000 cinemas<ref name=numberone/> until ''[[Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert]]'' in 2008.<ref name="hannah">{{Cite news|url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=hannahmontanaconcert.htm|title=Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (2008) – Weekend Box Office Results|date=3 February 2008|accessdate=31 July 2009}}</ref> However, its opening day (approximately $9.2 million)<ref name="boratday">{{Cite news|url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=borat.htm|title=Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) – Daily Box Office Results|date=4 November 2006|accessdate=31 July 2009}}</ref> was larger than that of the ''Hannah Montana'' concert (approximately $8.6 million),<ref name="hannahday">{{Cite news|url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=hannahmontanaconcert.htm|title=Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (2008) – Daily Box Office Results|date=2 February 2008|accessdate=31 July 2009}}</ref> leaving ''Borat'' with the record of the highest opening day gross for a film released in fewer than 1,000 cinemas. On its second weekend, ''Borat'' surpassed its opening with a total of US$29 million.<ref name="secondweek">{{Cite news|url= http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-11/14/content_5326474.htm|title="Borat" makes benefit glorious with US$29 mln|date=14 November 2006|accessdate=19 December 2006}}</ref>

==Reception==

===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film received a rating of 91%, based on 215 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Part satire, part shockumentary, ''Borat'' gets high-fives almost all-around for being offensive in the funniest possible way. Jagshemash!".<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/borat/|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|title=Borat on Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate=14 November 2014}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a score of 89 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/movie/borat-cultural-learnings-of-america-for-make-benefit-glorious-nation-of-kazakhstan</ref>

In an article about the changing face of comedy, ''[[The Atlantic Monthly]]'' said that it "may be the funniest film in a decade".<ref>{{cite journal| last = Hirschorn | first = Michael | title = Thank You, YouTube: DIY video is making merely professional television seem stodgy, slow and hopelessly last century | journal = [[The Atlantic Monthly]] |date=November 2006 | page = 147}}</ref> [[Michael Medved]] gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars, calling it "...simultaneously hilarious and cringe-inducing, full of ingenious bits that you'll want to describe to your friends and then laugh all over again when you do."<ref>[http://images.michaelmedved.com/images/pdf/borat.doc Borat]. Michael Medved—Eye On Entertainment. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref>

''[[The Guardian]]'' included the film in its list of ten 'Best films of the noughties' (2000–09).<ref name="Best films of the noughties">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2009/dec/31/best-films-noughties-borat | title=Best films of the noughties | publisher=The Guardian | date=31 December 2009 | accessdate=1 January 2015 | author=Pulver, Andrew}}</ref>

One negative review came from American critic [[Joe Queenan]], who went as far as to call Baron Cohen an "odious twit".<ref name="Twit">Queenan, Joe. [http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1955929,00.html 'The Honeymoon is Over' (Joe Queenan dismisses Borat as an odious twit.)] The Guardian, 24 November 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-09.</ref> In an article for ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'', writer [[Christopher Hitchens]] offered a counter-argument to suggestions of anti-Americanism in the film. Hitchens suggested instead that the film demonstrated amazing tolerance by the film's unknowing subjects, especially citing the reactions of the guests in the Southern dinner scene to Borat's behaviour.<ref>Hitchens, Christopher. [http://www.slate.com/id/2153578/ Kazakh Like Me.] Slate.com, 13 November 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.</ref>

By posting scenes from the film on YouTube, ''Borat'' was also exposed to viral communication. This triggered discussions on different national identities (Kazakh, American, Polish, Romanian, Jewish, British) that Baron Cohen had exploited in creating the Borat character.<ref>Kaprāns, Mārtiņš (2011) [http://journals.culture-communication.unimelb.edu.au/platform/yecrea_2011_kaprans.html 'Did we ignore the social commentary? Responding to Borat on YouTube'], PLATFORM: Journal of Media and Communication (November): 24–40. Retrieved on 3 June 2012.</ref>

===Box office===
American audiences embraced the film, which played to sold-out crowds at many showings on its opening, despite having been shown on only 837 screens. ''Borat'' debuted at No. 1 on its opening weekend, with a total gross of $26.4 million,<ref name=numberone>{{Cite news|author=Rich, Joshua|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1555093,00.html|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=5 November 2006|title=Borat Shocks Hollywood|accessdate=29 January 2012}}</ref> beating its competitors ''[[Flushed Away]]'' and ''[[The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause]]''. The film's opening weekend's cinema average was an estimated $31,511, topping ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'', yet behind ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith]]'' and ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=17380 |work=Comingsoon.net|date=6 November 2006|title=Borat: Bigger Than Santa Clause!|accessdate = 17 March 2007}}</ref> It retained the top spot in its second weekend after expanding to 2,566 theatres, extending the box office total to $67.8 million.<ref name="secondweek"/>

In the United Kingdom, ''Borat'' opened at No. 1, with an opening weekend gross of £6,242,344 ($11,935,986),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070823184402/http://www.sky-is-falling.co.uk/2006.html 2006.] Sky-is-falling.co.uk. Retrieved on 12 March 2007.</ref> the 43rd best opening week earnings in the UK as of March 2007.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070823184517/http://www.sky-is-falling.co.uk/openingweekends-alltime.html Openings – all time.] Sky-is-falling.co.uk. Retrieved on 12 March 2007.</ref> Since its release, ''Borat'' has grossed over $260 million worldwide.<ref>[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=borat.htm Box Office Mojo]—Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Retrieved on 16 March 2007.</ref>

===Awards and nominations===
''Borat'' received a nomination at the [[79th Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]], although the award ultimately went to ''[[The Departed]]''.<ref name="Oscars">[http://oscar.com/nominees/?pn=detail&nominee=BoratWritingAdaptedScreenplayNominee 79th Annual Academy Awards]. OSCAR.com. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref> It was also nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award]] under the category of [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]], but lost to ''[[Dreamgirls (film)|Dreamgirls]]''.<ref name="Globe"/> The [[Broadcast Film Critics Association]] named it the Best Comedy Movie of 2006, and was nominated for the [[Writers Guild of America Award]] for [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]].<ref name="BFCA">[http://www.bfca.org/nomineesWinners.asp Winners 2006.] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.is/20051214135405/http://www.bfca.org/nomineesWinners.asp |date=14 December 2005 }} BFCA.org. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref><ref name="WGA">{{cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1516 |title=''WGA Awards'' 2006 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703004408/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1516 |archivedate=3 July 2010 |df=dmy }} WGA.com. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref>

Baron Cohen won the [[Golden Globe Award]] for [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]].<ref name="Globe"/> He received equivalent awards from the [[San Francisco Film Critics Circle]], the Utah Film Critics Association, the [[Toronto Film Critics Association]], and the [[Online Film Critics Society]].<ref name="SFFCC">[http://sffcc.splicedwire.com/2006awards.html 2006 San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards], ''[[San Francisco Film Critics Circle]]'', 2006. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref><ref name="UFCAA">[http://www.altfg.com/awards/2006/utah-film-critics-association.htm Utah Film Critics Association Awards 2006]. AltFG.com. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref><ref name="TFC.com">[http://torontofilmcritics.com/blog/2006/12/20/tfca-awards-2006/ Torontofilmcritics.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930130441/http://torontofilmcritics.com/blog/2006/12/20/tfca-awards-2006/ |date=30 September 2007 }} TFCA Awards 2006. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref><ref>[http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/pages/awards/2006awards Online Film Critics Society Awards 2006.] Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref> The [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]] tied Baron Cohen with [[Forest Whitaker]] in ''[[The Last King of Scotland (film)|The Last King of Scotland]]'' for their title of Best Actor. Baron Cohen was also nominated for Best Actor by the [[London Film Critics' Circle|London Film Critics’ Circle]].<ref name="LAFCA">[http://www.lafca.net/Home/News/2006_lafca_awards_winners.html Los Angeles Film Critics announce 2006 award winners], ''[[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]]'', 2006. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref><ref name="LFCC">[http://www.altfg.com/awards/2006/london-film-critics-circle.htm 27th London Film Critics' Circle Awards – 2006] AltFG.com. Retrieved on 17 March 2007.</ref>

''Borat'' has been featured in multiple top 10 lists of films in 2006, including lists by the [[American Film Institute Awards 2006|American Film Institute]], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time Magazine]]'', ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', [[David Ansen]] for ''[[Newsweek]]'', and [[Lou Lumenick]] for the ''[[New York Post]]''.<ref>[http://www.afi.com/tvevents/afiawards06/default.aspx AFI AWARDS 2006]. AFI.com. Retrieved on 6 January 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570838-1,00.html Time.com:] 10 Best Movies, 25 December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.</ref><ref>[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/12842078/the_10_best_movies_of_2006/3 Rolling Stone:] The 10 Best Movies of 2006. Retrieved on 6 January 2007.</ref><ref name="Meta10">[http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2006/toptens.shtml Metacritic:] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213000000/http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2006/toptens.shtml |date=13 December 2007 }} 2006 Film Critic Top Ten Lists. Retrieved on 6 January 2007.</ref>


===Retirement of Borat character===
A [[Brüno|third film]] by Baron Cohen was released in 2009, and was based on another of his characters: [[Brüno (character)|Brüno]], a gay [[Austria]]n fashion reporter. [[Universal Studios]] is reported to have produced the film with a budget of $42 million.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6101578.stm Baron Cohen 'gets £22 m film deal']. BBC News, 31 October 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-10.</ref>

[[Rupert Murdoch]] announced in early February 2007 that Baron Cohen had signed on to do another Borat film with Fox.<ref>[http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKN0820626120070208 Sacha Baron Cohen signs for 'Borat 2']. Reuters, 8 February 2007. Retrieved on 9 February 2007</ref> However, this was contradicted by an interview with Baron Cohen himself in which Baron Cohen stated that Borat was to be discontinued, as he was now too well known to avoid detection as he did in the film and on ''Da Ali G Show''.<ref>[http://people.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1247189.php/King_of_the_Globes_Sacha_kills_Borat King of the Globes Sacha kills Borat]. Monsters and Critics. 16 January 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-09.</ref> A spokesman for Fox later stated that it was too early to begin planning such a film, although they were open to the idea.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/film/borat-sequel-put-on-hold/2007/02/09/1170524280667.html Borat sequel put on hold]. The Age, 9 February 2007. Retrieved on 9 February 2007</ref>

Baron Cohen subsequently announced that he was "killing off" the characters of Borat and Ali G because they were now so famous he could no longer trick people. Even though he decided to retire his trademark characters, on 26 February 2014, he brought them back for the FXX series ''Ali G: Rezurection'', a collection of the sketches from all 18 episodes of ''Da Ali G Show'', including new footage of Baron Cohen in-character as Ali G, who is portrayed as the presenter of the show.<ref name="kill">{{cite news|author=David S Morgan |url=http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/22/movies/main3641923.shtml |title=Borat He Dead, I Kill Him, Gone |publisher=Showbuzz.cbsnews.com |date=22 December 2007 |accessdate=12 July 2009 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123051552/http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/22/movies/main3641923.shtml | archivedate=23 November 2007}}</ref>

Baron Cohen revived the character of Borat in December 2015 on the late night talk show ''[[Jimmy Kimmel Live!]]'' to premiere the new trailer for Baron Cohen's movie ''[[Grimsby (film)|Grimsby]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=BORAT Premieres the New Trailer for "The Brothers Grimsby"|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcH0gPaMay8&ab_channel=JimmyKimmelLive}}</ref>

==Controversies==

===Participants' responses===
After the film's release, Dharma Arthur, a news producer for [[WAPT]] in [[Jackson, Mississippi]], wrote a letter to ''[[Newsweek]]'' saying that Borat's appearance on the station had led to her losing her job: "Because of him, my boss lost faith in my abilities and second-guessed everything I did thereafter … How upsetting that a man who leaves so much harm in his path is lauded as a comedic genius." Although Arthur has said she was fired from the show, she told the [[Associated Press]] that she left the station.<ref>Carlson, Erin (13 November 2006), [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/13/AR2006111300329.html 'Borat' Victims Upset at Being Duped], ''washingtonpost.com''</ref> She said that she checked a public relations website that Borat's producers gave her before booking him.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,226960,00.html | title=Dharma and … Borat? A 'Victim' Complains | work= Fox News Channel|date=2 November 2006|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref>

In news coverage that aired in January 2005 of the filming of the rodeo scene, Bobby Rowe, producer of the [[Salem, Virginia]], rodeo depicted in the film, provided background on how he had become the victim of a [[hoax]]. He said that "months" prior to the appearance, he had been approached by someone from "One America, a California-based film company that was reportedly doing a documentary on a Russian immigrant"; he agreed to permit the "immigrant" to sing the U.S. national anthem after listening to a tape.<ref name="Rodeo"/> After the film's release, Rowe said "Some people come up and say, 'Hey, you made the big time'; I've made the big time, but not in the way I want it."<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&cid=1149191431187 | title= 'Borat' roped in Va. crowd|date=24 October 2006|author=Kremer, Aaron | work= excerpt-[[The Birmingham News]]| publisher = Richmond storyID=3544|accessdate=17 March 2007}} {{Dead link|date=March 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Cindy Streit, Borat's etiquette consultant, subsequently hired high-profile attorney [[Gloria Allred]], who demanded that the [[California Attorney General]] investigate fraud allegedly committed by Baron Cohen and the film's producers.<ref>{{cite news | last = Sweetingham | first = Lisa | title = Etiquette expert is latest to lash out at 'Borat' creator, claiming humiliation | publisher = [[Court TV]] | url = http://www.courttv.com/people/2006/1116/borat_ctv.html | accessdate = 17 November 2006 }}</ref>

The ''[[Salon.com|Salon]]'' Arts & Entertainment site quotes the Behars (a Jewish couple at whose guest house Borat and Azamat stay) as calling the film "outstanding", referring to Baron Cohen as "very lovely and very polite" and a "genius".<ref name="Salon"/> The ''[[Boston Globe]]'' also interviewed the couple, saying they considered the film more anti-Muslim than anti-Semitic and had feared that Baron Cohen and his ensemble might be filming pornography in the house.<ref>{{Cite news|url= http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2006/11/18/duped_by_borat_couple_rises_above_insults_and_has_a_laugh/ |title=Duped by Borat, couple rises above insults and has a laugh |work=[[Boston Globe]]|date=18 November 2006|accessdate=17 March 2007 | first1=Joseph P. | last1=Kahn}}</ref>

The feminists from [[Veteran Feminists of America]] (VFA) felt that they had been duped, having "sensed something odd was going on" before and during the interview with Borat. ''[[The Guardian]]'' later reported at least one of the women felt that the film was worth going to see at the cinema.<ref>{{cite news |author= Toms, Katie| title=Oh, Borat, you Bounder |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,1934068,00.html|publisher = The Guardian| work = Guardian.com| date = 29 October 2006|accessdate=17 March 2007 | location=London}}</ref>

The ''[[New York Post]]'' had reported in November 2006 that [[Pamela Anderson]] filed for divorce from her husband [[Kid Rock]] after he reacted unfavourably to the film during a screening. ''The Post''{{'}}s article specifically claimed he had said of her role in the film, "You're nothing but a whore! You're a slut! How could you do that movie?"<ref>{{Cite news|first=Amy|last=Bonawitz|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/28/entertainment/main2211673.shtml |title=Did 'Borat' Cause Pam And Kid's Split? |work=[[CBS]]|date=28 November 2006|accessdate=1 September 2010}}</ref> In an interview on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', Anderson confirmed that Rock was upset by her appearance in the film, but did not confirm that this was the cause of the separation.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.hollywood.com/news/Anderson_Kid_Rock_Was_Unhappy_About_Borat/3600336 | title = Anderson: "Kid Rock Was Unhappy About 'Borat'" | work = Hollywood.com | date = 18 December 2006 | accessdate = 17 March 2007 }}</ref>

===Legal action by participants===
The villagers of [[Glod, Dâmboviţa|Glod]], Romania, took legal action against the producers of ''Borat'', complaining that they were lied to about the nature of the filming and they were portrayed as [[incest]]uous and [[ignorance|ignorant]]. Some said they were paid only three [[Romanian leu|lei]] (about US$1.28 in 2004) each, while others stated they were paid between $70 and $100 each, which did not cover their expenses.<ref name="killborat"/> They are asking for $38 million in damages.<ref name="kill"/> One lawsuit was thrown out by U.S. District Judge [[Loretta Preska]] in a hearing in early December 2006 on the ground that the allegations in the complaint were too vague. The litigants said they planned to refile.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=entertainment&id=4825647 |title=NYC Judge Questions Viability Of Villagers' 'Borat' Lawsuit |publisher=Abclocal.go.com |date=5 December 2006 |accessdate=12 July 2009}}</ref>

Two of the [[University of South Carolina]] [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity brothers]] who appeared in the film, Justin Seay and Christopher Rotunda, sued the producers, claiming [[Slander and libel|defamation]].<ref name = "BBC-sueBorat">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6136944.stm |title=US students sue over Borat film|date=10 November 2006|work= BBC News|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref><ref name = "esuit"/><ref name = "smokinggun-Bamboozled">{{cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1113061borat1.html | work=[[The Smoking Gun]]| title= Bamboozled By Borat?|date=13 November 2006|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref> The suit by Seay and Rotunda was dismissed in February 2007.<ref name="esuit"/> The students had also sought an injunction to prevent the DVD release of the film, which was denied.<ref name = "BBC-sueBorat"/><ref name="esuit">Finn, Natalie. [http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b54467_judge_nixes_borat_suit.html Judge Nixes Borat Suit]. E! Online 21 February 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-07.</ref><ref name = "smokinggun-Bamboozled"/><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6171305.stm Borat 'victims' fail to block DVD]. ''BBC News'', 12 December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-07.</ref>

Another lawsuit was filed by a South Carolina resident who said he was accosted by Baron Cohen (as Borat) in the bathroom at a restaurant in downtown [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]], with the actor allegedly making comments regarding the individual's genitals, without signing any legal waiver. The lawsuit also sought to have the footage excluded from any DVD releases and removed from Internet video sites.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= S.C. man sues after deleted ''Borat'' bathroom scene appears on cable, Internet|url= http://www.jacksonville.com/apnews/stories/121206/D8LVEVMG1.shtml|work= Florida Times-Union|agency= Associated Press|date= 12 December 2006|accessdate=13 April 2007 }}</ref>

The [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonian]] [[Romani people|Romani]] singer [[Esma Redžepova]] sued the film's producers, seeking €800,000 because the film used her song "Chaje Šukarije" without her permission.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/macedonian/news/story/2006/12/061207_borat.shtml Можна нова тужба за Борат]. BBC Macedonian, 7 December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-3-19.</ref><ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/singer-set-to-sue/2006/12/16/1166162360105.html Macedonian songstress to sue 'Borat' filmmakers.] The Age, 16 December 2006. Retrieved on 2007-3-19.</ref> Afterwards, Redžepova won a €26,000 compensation, since it turned out that Baron Cohen had gotten permission from her production house to use the song, which she had not been notified about.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.makfax.com.mk/en-Us/Details.aspx?itemID=7503 |title=Esma wins lawsuit against Sacha Kohen|publisher=makfax.com.mk|date=29 July 2009| accessdate= 30 July 2009}}</ref>

Felix Cedeno, a 31-year-old American, sued [[20th Century Fox]] for $2.25 million dollars, after he was filmed as part of a scene where a live chicken fell out of Borat's suitcase on the subway. Cedeno later dropped the suit, and received nothing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/07/11/5519/writs_go_crackers |title=Writs go crackers: Borat sued yet again|publisher=Chortle.co.uk |date= |accessdate=12 July 2009}}</ref><ref name="Past Deadline 2008">{{cite web | title=In New York, One 'Borat' Case Falls, Three to Go | website=Past Deadline | date=February 11, 2008 | url=http://reporter.blogs.com/thresq/2008/02/posted-by-mat-5.html | accessdate=February 5, 2017}}</ref>

[[Baltimore]] resident Michael Psenicska sought more than $100,000 in damages from Baron Cohen, 20th Century Fox, and other parties. Psenicska—a high school mathematics teacher who also owns a driving school—was reportedly paid $500 in cash to give Baron Cohen's bogus Kazakh journalist a driving lesson. In his action—filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan—the driving instructor said that he had been told the film was a "documentary about the integration of foreign people into the American way of life", and that if he had known the film's true nature, he would have never participated. Psenicska said he was entitled to damages because the defendants used images of him to advertise the film.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7128409.stm | title = Borat's driving instructor sues | publisher = BBC NEWS | date = 5 December 2007}}</ref> The case was dismissed on 9 September 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-09-09-borat-lawsuit_N.htm|title= Glorious NYC lawsuit ruling for ''Borat'' filmmakers|author= |date= 9 September 2008|website= usatoday.com|publisher= ''[[USA Today]]''|accessdate=12 February 2014}}</ref>

Jeffrey Lemerond, who was shown running and yelling, "Get away" as Borat attempted to hug strangers on a New York street, filed a legal case claiming his image was used in the film illegally, and that he suffered "public ridicule, degradation and humiliation" as a result. The case was dismissed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7327892.stm |title=Entertainment | Judge dismisses Borat legal case |publisher=BBC News |date=3 April 2008 |accessdate=12 July 2009}}</ref>

Baron Cohen reacted to these suits by noting, "Some of the letters I get are quite unusual, like the one where the lawyer informed me I'm about to be sued for $100,000 and at the end says, 'P.S. Loved the movie. Can you sign a poster for my son Jeremy?{{'"}}<ref name="kill"/>

===Reception in Kazakhstan===
The [[government of Kazakhstan]] at first denounced ''Borat''. In 2005, following Borat's appearance at the [[MTV Movie Awards]], the country's Foreign Ministry threatened to sue Sacha Baron Cohen, and Borat's "[[.kz|Kazakh-based]]" website, www.borat.kz, was taken down.<ref>Wolf, Buck. [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=1315240 Kazakhstan Not Laughing at 'Ali G']. ABC News, 15 November 2005. Retrieved on 8 March 2007</ref><ref>Lee, Matthew. [http://film.guardian.co.uk/apnews/story/0,,-6465807,00.html Films Listed Among Human Rights Victims]. The Guardian, Associated Press, 8 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-08.</ref> Kazakhstan also launched a multi-million dollar "Heart of Eurasia" campaign to counter the Borat effect; Baron Cohen replied by denouncing the campaign at an in-character press conference in front of the [[White House]] as the propaganda of the "evil nitwits" of [[Uzbekistan]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6165663|title= Borat Sagdiyev Delivers a Message to Washington|author= |date= 29 September 2006|website= npr.org|publisher= [[NPR]]|accessdate=12 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=[[Harper's]]|date=4 October 2007|url=http://www.harpers.org/sb-boratology-1159910621.html|title=A Recap From the World's Leading Boratologist|accessdate=17 March 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321003826/http://www.harpers.org/sb-boratology-1159910621.html|archivedate=21 March 2007}}</ref> Uzbekistan is, throughout the film, referred to by Borat as his nation's second leading problem, with the first being the Jews. In November 2006, Kazakh TV personality Jantemir Baimukhamedov travelled to London with the stated aim of presenting Baron Cohen with horse meat and horse urine, which were claimed by Borat to be the national food and drink of Kazakhstan, although he was unable to organise a meeting with him.<ref name=beeb />

In 2006, Gemini Films, the [[Central Asia]]n distributor of 20th Century Fox, complied with a Kazakh government request to not release the film.<ref name="Russiaban"/> That year, Kazakh ambassador [[Erlan Idrissov]], after viewing the film, called parts of the film funny and wrote that the film had "placed Kazakhstan on the map".<ref name="gardner20061109">{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=akkVr2mB7XV8&refer=europe | title=`Borat' Film Banned by Russian Regulator as Offensive | date=9 November 2006 | agency=Bloomberg | accessdate=9 April 2013 | author=Gardner, Hannah}}</ref> By 2012, Kazakh Foreign Minister [[Yerzhan Kazykhanov]] attributed a great rise in tourism to his country—with visas issued rising ten times—to the film, saying "I am grateful to 'Borat' for helping attract tourists to Kazakhstan."<ref name="bbc20120424">{{cite news | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17826000 | title=Kazakhstan thanks Borat for 'boosting tourism' | work=BBC | date=24 April 2012 | accessdate=9 April 2013}}</ref>

According to Yerlan Askarbekov, a Kazakh public relations professional who worked with both the [[British Council]] and the Kazakh government who wrote a piece for the [[BBC]] website in 2016, ten years after the film's release, many of his colleagues in the Kazakh media saw the character of Borat as a valuable PR opportunity. According to him some of the Kazakhs who were most upset by the film were students studying in the US and the UK, who understood the film's satirical intent but felt that their non-Kazakh peers were taking the film at face value as an accurate portrayal of the country. He suggested that once Kazakhs grasped that the film was designed to "...get an outsider’s view of the US and reveal the prejudices of the Americans who Borat interacts with... functioning as a sort of 21st Century Alexis de Tocqueville", interest in the character inside the country faded.<ref name=beeb>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/story/20161028-what-kazakhstan-really-thought-of-borat |title=What Kazakhstan really thought of Borat |last=Askarbekov |first=Yerlan|date=28 October 2016|website=[[bbc.co.uk]]|access-date=2 November 2016}}</ref>

The Kazakh tabloid ''Karavan'' declared ''Borat'' to be the best film of the year, having had a reviewer see the film at a screening in [[Vienna]]. The paper said that it was "...certainly not an anti-Kazakh, anti-Romanian or anti-Semitic" film, but rather "cruelly anti-American ... amazingly funny and sad at the same time."<ref>[http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1952548,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=16 Birds get the best of Bond.] The Guardian, 20 November 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-17.</ref> Another favorable word came from Kazakh novelist [[Sapabek Asip-uly]], who suggested Baron Cohen be nominated for the annual award bestowed by the Kazakh Club of Art Patrons. In a letter published by the newspaper ''[[Vremya]]'', Asip-uly wrote, "(Borat) has managed to spark an immense interest of the whole world in Kazakhstan—something our authorities could not do during the years of independence. If state officials completely lack a sense of humor, their country becomes a laughing stock."<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Internet Movie Database|url=http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2006-11-27/#3|title=Cohen Nominated for Kazakh Award|accessdate=27 November 2006}}</ref> [[Amazon.com|Amazon UK]] has also reported significant numbers of orders of ''Borat'' on DVD from Kazakhstan.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2007/03/12/borat-dvd-kazakhstan.html Borat DVD a top seller in Kazakhstan.] CBC Arts, 12 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.</ref>

=== Accidental use of its parody national anthem ===
In March 2012, the parody national anthem from the [[Borat (soundtrack)|film's soundtrack]], which acclaims Kazakhstan for its high-quality potassium exports and having the second cleanest prostitutes in the region, was mistakenly played at the Amir of Kuwait International Shooting Grand Prix. The gold medalist, [[Mariya Dmitriyenko]], stood on the dais while the entire parody was played. The team complained, and the award ceremony was restaged. The incident apparently resulted from the wrong song being downloaded from the Internet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/borat-anthem-played-mistake-medals-ceremony-112050453.html|title=borat anthem played by mistake at medals ceremony}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17491344 | work=BBC News | title=Borat anthem stuns Kazakh gold medallist in Kuwait | date=23 March 2012}}</ref>

===Accusations of ethnic defamation===
The [[European Center for Antiziganism Research]], which works against negative attitudes toward [[Romani people]], filed a complaint<ref name="Roma antiracism complaint">{{cite press release |title=Presse Erkl€ärung|publisher=[[European Center for Antiziganism Research]]|date=17 October 2006 |url=http://www.ezaf.org/Borat.pdf|format=PDF|language=German|accessdate=8 March 2007|quote=}}</ref> with [[Germany|German]] prosecutors on 18 October 2006, based on Borat's references to Gypsies in his film. The complaint accuses him of defamation and inciting violence against an ethnic group.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/now-gypsies-want-borat-banned/2006/10/18/1160850984396.html |title= Now Gypsies want Borat banned |work= Sydney Morning Herald |date=18 October 2006|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref> As a consequence, 20th Century Fox declared that it would remove all parts referring to Romani people from trailers shown on German television as well as on the film's website.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ezaf.org/Borat2de.pdf |format=PDF|date=27 October 2006|title=Roma und Sinti Verbände stoppen "Zigeuner" Kampagne zu Borat|publisher=Europäisches Zentrum für Antiziganismusforschung|accessdate=4 November 2006| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061128170215/http://www.ezaf.org/Borat2de.pdf| archivedate = 28 November 2006}}</ref>

Before the release of the film, the [[Anti-Defamation League]] (ADL) released a statement expressing concern over Borat's characteristic [[anti-Semitism]].<ref>[http://www.adl.org/PresRele/Mise_00/4898_00.htm Statement On The Comedy Of Sacha Baron Cohen, A.K.A. Borat.] Ant-Defamation League, 28 September 2006. Retrieved on 26 March 2007</ref> Both Baron Cohen (who is Jewish) and the ADL have stated that the film uses the titular character to expose prejudices felt or tolerated by others,<ref>{{Cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6153420.stm |work=BBC News|date=16 November 2006|title= Cohen defends 'racist' Borat film|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref> but the ADL expressed concern that some audiences might remain oblivious to this aspect of the film's humor, while "some may even find it reinforcing their bigotry".<ref>{{Cite news|publisher=Ynetnews|url= http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3309866,00.html |work=ynetnews.com|date=30 September 2006|title= ADL: Concerned over Borat's depiction of anti-Semitism|accessdate=17 March 2007}}</ref>

===Censorship in the Arab world===
The film was [[Ban (law)|banned]] in the entire [[Arab world]] except for [[Lebanon]].<ref name="Guardian-01Dec06"/><ref name="ali2006">{{cite news |first=Jaafar |last=Ali |authorlink= |coauthors= |title='Borat' gross-outs fall flat in Mideast |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117954832.html?categoryid=19&cs=1 |work=Variety |publisher= |date= 30 November 2006 |accessdate=29 June 2007 }}</ref> Yousuf Abdul Hamid, a film censor for [[Dubai]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]], called the film "vile, gross and extremely ridiculous". The censor said that he and his colleagues had walked out on their screening before it had ended, and that only half an hour of the film would be left once all the offensive scenes were removed.<ref name="ali2006"/>

==Soundtrack==
{{Main|Borat (soundtrack)}}
The soundtrack for ''Borat'' was released on the [[iTunes Store]] on 24 October 2006, and in shops on 31 October 2006. The album included music from the film, five tracks entitled "Dialoguing excerpt from moviefilm", as well as the controversial anti-Semitic song "[[In My Country There Is Problem]]" from ''Da Ali G Show''.<ref>[http://www.spin.com/features/news/2006/10/061012_borat/ Don't Throw 'Borat' Soundtrack Down the Well.] SPIN.com, 12 October 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.</ref>

The [[folk music]] included in the soundtrack has no connection to the authentic [[music of Kazakhstan]]. The album features songs by [[Roma music|Gypsy]] and Balkan artists (mostly [[Emir Kusturica]] and [[Goran Bregovic]]) and includes music by [[Erran Baron Cohen]], founding member of ZOHAR Sound System and brother of ''Borat'' star Sacha Baron Cohen, as well as songs sung by Sacha Baron Cohen himself in character as Borat.

==Home media==
The [[DVD region code|Region 2 DVD]] was released 5 March 2007, with the [[DVD region code|Region 1]] release the following day.<ref>[http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/news/59/16859.php "Borat DVD to Be Released As Is on March 6".] Movieweb.com, 9 January 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.</ref><ref>[http://www.allocine.co.uk/film/disponibledvd_gen_cfilm=109678.html Borat: In DVD!]. Allocine.co.uk. Retrieved on 11 March 2007.</ref> Special features include [[deleted scenes]], faux advertisements for the soundtrack album, and a complete [[Russian language]] translation audio track using a professional dubbing cast, along with the English, [[French language|French]], and [[Spanish language]] tracks common on Region 1. There is also a choice of [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], but this is merely a joke; choosing the Hebrew language option results in a warning screen reading "You have been trapped, Jew!" which warns the viewer not to change his shape and to keep his claws where they can be seen, again playing on the anti-Semitism supposedly prevalent in Borat's version of Kazakhstan. It also includes footage of Borat's publicity tour for the film, with Baron Cohen in character as Borat on ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'', ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]'', the [[Toronto International Film Festival]], and ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. The bonus features conclude with a news segment from [[WSLS-TV|a Virginia TV station]] about Borat's night at the rodeo, complete with an interview with rodeo owner Bobby Rowe.

As a play on the [[copyright infringement]] common in the former [[Soviet Union]], the packaging of the Region 1 (United States/Canada), 2 (Europe/Japan/South Africa/Middle East), and 4 (Latin America/Oceania) editions mimics a foreign [[Bootleg recording|bootleg]] DVD. The slipcover is in English but the case itself has all-Cyrillic text (a majority of which is in legitimate Russian, not faux Cyrillic) and is made to look poorly photocopied. The disc itself is made to look like a "Demorez" [[DVD-R]] with the slogan "Is life? No. Demorez.", a parody on "Is it live, or is it [[Memorex]]?" ad campaign, and the word "BOЯAT" appearing to be crudely written in marker with the "R" [[Ya (Cyrillic)|written backwards]].<ref name="dvd">Couture, John. [http://videoeta.com/news/2236 'Borat' DVD gets pirated… NOT!] VideoETA.com, 2 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.</ref> The [[Universal Media Disc|UMD]] version is similar to the DVD, even being labelled a "UMD-R" (which do not exist). Even the [[20th Century Fox|Fox]] in-cover advertising is written in broken English that appears poorly printed, indicating that there are "More movie discs available from US&A" and "Also legal to own in Kazakhstan".

There are further jokes within the DVD itself. The menus are styled as a worn, static-laden film on an erratically functioning projector, with more Cyrillic writing accompanied by translations in broken English. The DVD is described as a "prerecorded moviedisc for purpose domestic viewing of moviefilm", and the viewer is warned that "selling piratings of this moviedisc will result in punishment by [[crushing (execution)|crushing]]". The DVD's collection of [[trailer (film)|trailers]] promises that the depicted films are "coming Kazakhstan in 2028". By April 2007, the DVD had sold over 3.5 million copies, totaling more than $55 million in sales.<ref>[http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/BORAT-DVD.php Sales of Borat movie DVD]</ref> While a [[Blu-ray Disc]] release date for the U.S. has yet to be announced, it has been released on Blu-ray in [[Germany]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[France]], [[Australia]], [[Brazil]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Ireland]], [[Finland]], [[Denmark]], and [[Sweden]].<ref>[http://www.blu-ray.com/search/?quicksearch=1&quicksearch_country=US&quicksearch_keyword=Borat&section=bluraymovies ''Borat'' on Blu-ray] Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 3 October 2012</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|United States|Film}}
* [[Molvanîa]]
* [[List of Dilbert characters#Elbonians|Elbonia]]
* [[Lower Slobbovia]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan}}
* {{IMDb title|0443453}}
* {{mojo title|borat|Borat}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|borat|Borat}}
* {{metacritic film|borat-cultural-learnings-of-america-for-make-benefit-glorious-nation-of-kazakhstan|Borat}}
* [http://wayback.archive.org/web/20060401000000*/http://www.borat.tv Borat official website] (Archive)

{{Sacha Baron Cohen}}
{{Larry Charles}}
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Comedy Film}}
{{Featured article}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Borat - Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan}}
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:2000s comedy films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American parody films]]
[[Category:American comedy films]]
[[Category:American satirical films]]
[[Category:British films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:British satirical films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Armenian-language films]]
[[Category:Hebrew-language films]]
[[Category:Film spin-offs]]
[[Category:Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance]]
[[Category:Films set in Alabama]]
[[Category:Films set in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Films set in Dallas]]
[[Category:Films set in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:Films set in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Films shot in Alabama]]
[[Category:Films shot in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Films shot in Dallas]]
[[Category:Films shot in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films shot in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Films shot in Maryland]]
[[Category:Films shot in New York City]]
[[Category:Films shot in Romania]]
[[Category:Films shot in Virginia]]
[[Category:Films shot in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Incest in film]]
[[Category:Mockumentary films]]
[[Category:British road movies]]
[[Category:American road movies]]
[[Category:2000s road movies]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:Dune Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Larry Charles]]

[[mk:Борат#Филм]]

Kazakhstan Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

Borat