China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film
! L# ^; e1 s: [7 s2 L) k( `
Authorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
* @& c; ^. u  i5 }  p& d$ M5 RLost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.
7 z2 d! v: D4 P) I( e
6 n- d1 O+ a$ l, ^" GAccording to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.

: F( Z( {' ^: gIts producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.
! Y: e) m" i- E: c
The drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.
0 t+ h% q# D) G# b* R3 V$ d
. j  ?4 {1 ^- m4 |' a1 ^/ i9 JIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.

7 G) }! @: `; g5 \/ @'Inappropriate'
# c* a1 G  h2 |
According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.
6 w! R, y4 m+ G2 K2 P
Its producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.
! v& I: l- A1 P+ a
* e. |7 I, g. A  A"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.
0 T* L- a5 f7 Q: t$ |8 }$ a
1 R% u, w; g0 l: i1 g- B2 s"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."
* q: A# p; k( w
" k  C' z3 L7 n* Z4 {. @# cPreviously, Fang said he had edited the film to remove explicit sex scenes and a side character - a fired foot masseuse who becomes a prostitute.
/ \/ T) Y0 K4 Z" k
Scenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.
. }! y' I) _4 }/ Z$ G
7 ~; u$ O" a0 M2 m9 Z( fThe censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.