China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

' b$ y) ]; k3 a1 ?) HAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
/ `- ?8 s1 w8 Q, c: h2 zLost 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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8 c2 _! y5 t! [7 G) `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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! o4 B+ _% R0 |' j7 VThe drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.

3 y! l  V3 e5 k7 }; x6 LIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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'Inappropriate'

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

4 C# j+ |. E2 P2 oIts 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."
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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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+ m- [4 N  i; s4 S5 d6 \0 b  RScenes 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.