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.
$ e( P/ p: F" LLost 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 Z" H" r: i9 z6 }  J7 rAccording to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.
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# i# L2 e. O; M. z0 L! ~: ^Its producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.

1 i2 e8 s  Z! K) [6 m1 UThe 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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: U6 p$ t1 O; z# t. g3 CIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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  ^/ D; E( S: F5 ~* s- ['Inappropriate'

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.

"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."
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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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Scenes 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.