China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

5 T( ?1 `4 o, qAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
1 k- k% w. a7 B# z3 R, |$ Y. QLost 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.

Its producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.
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4 \; j, d& S4 G2 z5 N! cThe 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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, @* d2 b- k& O+ E, ]! Z. w) j  |It went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
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; ?, ^! }( |2 \'Inappropriate'

5 l$ `: M: J8 z0 l  c8 ~* @$ rAccording to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.
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( m- ~- ?( h* U/ ?! {, T4 mIts 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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$ r; q* t" k3 {) _( H& |4 @9 x/ ~"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.
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: q2 b- t* H9 _; W5 z- r"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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3 a8 A0 d" N2 r2 a6 v6 Z8 TScenes 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.