China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

' `! u2 k+ O4 p) }0 O' R  P0 ~; ]Authorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
& v. Y/ c4 O8 l- N% [; n: h. }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.
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5 {) O% U( P2 A0 t, _- ~' @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.
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) K/ i+ J3 w3 A3 e$ p3 _; x) @It went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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, |9 c8 j; Y& Z4 j6 F- l! n6 A'Inappropriate'

8 h6 [  |) [+ n. u5 v: G. zAccording to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.
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- C7 C4 c% w* h$ O( I/ G: t' pIts producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.

. U& _- x# x  {* T"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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" U  W6 Q# g) r+ a* [! r2 YPreviously, 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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3 V) L: h" B/ A% p8 I' v8 LThe censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.