China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

$ z+ ^& V. O- i/ ZAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
& w+ B9 }  Y1 L. N0 W8 y! t7 BLost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.
4 ~7 Z) Q2 h9 Y# d: x
- ?9 @- Y/ Y. p' i( W' ^2 F: AAccording to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.
' o+ o& {" E* L! s0 ?8 U
: n, `* a- h2 P) c+ d* vIts producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.

- w) p1 ]4 {" k3 r  w, }- W9 tThe drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.

. F0 y' }& r; M, b9 Y6 oIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
( r! m5 |/ C" u; [! T$ ~& V
$ f& Q* _$ l+ O# R6 ]'Inappropriate'

0 \( v9 u; \' wAccording to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.
" k, _5 W' a2 h: v$ X& J' w' k
- x4 Q) O3 L+ ^! ]: o& @Its producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.

"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.

"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."
4 x3 k4 ~" s. I* W+ c
. R) i5 z3 N4 b4 hPreviously, Fang said he had edited the film to remove explicit sex scenes and a side character - a fired foot masseuse who becomes a prostitute.
/ e# a) T& z0 l1 f, \+ A7 Y7 Q/ o
Scenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.
- T( R( s6 p0 H* M
+ Z5 K. \# S& A0 L2 n! d) vThe censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.