China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

Authorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
" u( A, Y. l7 b8 v- jLost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.
* _# r2 F5 E- b/ d# n  E
$ T3 J, q5 `- s$ }+ ^( R& EAccording 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.
' h# G  j$ O) F9 e4 ~+ E& K
The drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.
5 e7 u5 B7 i- j% B8 }1 K
It went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
, g/ P9 L' F% Z  n  F' W# s0 T
'Inappropriate'
3 M# U# t+ f& f. {# j( n
According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.

! T" K" f9 w$ G8 _, n# VIts producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.
3 b  y- y! R2 V0 X- `# L- o* y
) a6 f& M! D& A- @"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."
1 @  f# Y5 a, }
- N5 ^/ O& ?3 f9 U* J% sPreviously, Fang said he had edited the film to remove explicit sex scenes and a side character - a fired foot masseuse who becomes a prostitute.
1 j4 |; C: P) Z/ S
1 J  Y  l" t# l3 R" I* J. I- lScenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.

# z% V( b# _7 E+ mThe censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.