China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film
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Authorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
! B% Y6 ^8 B4 r7 bLost 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 _4 |* G9 Y( h. GAccording to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.
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) z/ z9 N0 c9 T) r& aIts producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.

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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It 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.

: g- W6 Q$ |" W8 y- h1 x$ 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.
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"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."

* G- G, d  X7 }/ ]; Z# `- kPreviously, 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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+ F! Z, J* P& SScenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.

* f9 d, I2 a* H1 F! ?8 E* `The censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.