China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film
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; q* U+ R! w5 OAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
/ P  L/ T! A; N* {Lost 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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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.
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The drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.

6 s! ~  M" O2 l: f1 E, H1 B5 oIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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4 G. m( d' R- z( P+ X- k'Inappropriate'

! _5 Q: S) m: B8 I, f7 `* E( _According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.

# Y1 m. J: @: o4 q/ [3 H; _. YIts 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.

9 r4 D$ \& @: k0 |* \! U"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."

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.
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) y6 w6 x0 X- h2 ?3 n) BScenes 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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! {+ h- z6 ?' b: sThe censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.