China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film
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6 T# D" Q. a1 T; DAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
# w/ a* V4 C3 f1 g% ~0 a1 f6 \& I4 FLost 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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) @* \/ _9 S7 ]$ ]According to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.

- U) W' _% t  c0 O3 j. DIts 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.
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5 w3 @2 U+ B3 |  iIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.

1 C8 P& v1 G; I'Inappropriate'
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According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.
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Its producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.

; @5 Q& V# V+ G: G% d8 g! v"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.

: X8 L' _7 D  s  z"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."

) P; A1 O2 f) l6 x( x3 i) {  F$ p" t) nPreviously, 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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* ^# X; ^. i/ W# X4 _1 tScenes 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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0 |; Y5 j, Y4 JThe censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.