China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

# [) d# g, s& ]( }. c( f9 jAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
6 P. T. Y) M, ~7 c+ H3 vLost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.

* W) C5 V0 }, R/ U. IAccording to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.
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, S* }8 H1 {9 v" JIts producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.

+ X% ]/ ~5 n1 g- ]* rThe drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.

It went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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'Inappropriate'

1 [+ [$ _9 W* O4 V4 [% i7 L1 `According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.
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6 _1 N9 q- s6 \1 f) W. A+ `Its producer, Fang Li, has attributed the decision to the widespread availability of uncut, pirated versions of the movie he did not sanction.
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"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.

2 m" S8 W& v2 u2 V$ e6 F"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."
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1 B0 ]. i/ S2 `& p5 P2 Z  U0 p7 JPreviously, Fang said he had edited the film to remove explicit sex scenes and a side character - a fired foot masseuse who becomes a prostitute.

" X1 T' P1 H* e7 eScenes 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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The censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.