Instagram apologises after removing poster of Penelope Cruz film which features lactating nipple

Penelope’s latest film ruffled feathers on social media (Picture: Getty Images)

Instagram has issued an apology after initially banning the poster for Penelope Cruz’s latest film because it features a lactating nipple.

The official poster for Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s new film Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers) features what appears to be a female nipple which, as many people who support the #FreeTheNipple movement know, is banned on the platform.

This ban doesn’t extend to male nipples.

After it was taken down, the poster’s designer complained of censorship, with Instagram’s parent company Facebook later telling Associated Press the images of the poster were removed ‘for breaking our rules against nudity’.

However in a statement, a spokesperson added alongside an apology: ‘We do, however, make exceptions to allow nudity in certain circumstances, which includes when there’s clear artistic context.

‘We’ve therefore restored posts sharing the Almodóvar movie poster to Instagram, and we’re really sorry for any confusion caused.’

The film stars Penelope Cruz (as Janis) and Milena Smit (Ana) as a single, middle-aged mother and a single, teenage mother respectively. The pair bond after giving birth in the same hospital, on the same day, despite their differing views towards motherhood.

The poster’s Spanish designer Javier Jaén told the outlet that he had questioned whether the poster would have trouble on social networks but stayed true to his vision after receiving the personal backing of director Almodóvar.

Penelope Cruz stars as Janis, a single, middle-aged mother (Picture: Sony Pictures)

He said: ‘He told me that he had made films with posters his whole life, long before Instagram, and he would keep doing so after Instagram, too.

‘This is probably the first image I saw when I was born. A company like Instagram tells me my work is dangerous, that people shouldn’t see it, that it’s pornographic. How many people are they telling that their body is bad, that their body is dangerous?’

Jaén added: ‘They say their technology can’t differentiate the context. I don’t care. Change your technology then.’

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The designer shared the poster had been removed in an Instagram post which read: ‘As expected, @instagram took down the poster that we made for the latest Almodóvar film #madresparalelas.’

Madres Paralelas will open the Venice Film Festival on September 1. A UK release date is yet to be confirmed.