China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film
+ S9 ]5 t& @  d% i( M% ~% V: e
9 x1 C* b5 I, Y( W0 ?( _% yAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
' \$ y  p  U4 f" XLost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.
- r. ~. H- ?; l8 n0 i4 C/ U: ?- d2 m5 @! o
According to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.

Its producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.

7 z2 l3 r+ V: L% |6 B( H. NThe drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.
7 I5 b6 q: X& {
) A5 p8 L1 \9 F7 NIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.

'Inappropriate'

According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.

/ d! X2 l0 G7 A4 xIts 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.
' J. t; ]/ d8 u, z; t3 h0 M
"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."
2 {% u$ q; e1 d2 [: |5 A% S
Previously, Fang said he had edited the film to remove explicit sex scenes and a side character - a fired foot masseuse who becomes a prostitute.
7 ?0 f$ J# G& h/ E$ Z2 A# l) C
4 T4 O& T2 s, u4 [" w, E$ R% YScenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.

The censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.