China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film
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) A8 R1 r0 M6 `' Z5 r& j7 MAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
2 w+ @0 @1 `# t' L1 _9 J8 g" f7 ?" gLost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.
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4 L" ^- }0 w" `' D% {/ tAccording 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.
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8 a$ C. \4 C4 f; |7 I& qThe drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.

! D$ o; C% N6 `. wIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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'Inappropriate'
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: k/ I1 O4 T* ]6 Q" B/ \According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.

9 D5 ^$ Y, B6 e6 h3 GIts producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.
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"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.

& u3 K- a3 {' S+ h9 \( Z"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."

' n- X3 R; S# Q( ]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.

Scenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.
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The censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.