China bans censored brothel film

Magrath

China bans censored brothel film

3 g% ^( ]) c4 a+ l3 v6 z# D7 HAuthorities in China have banned a film set in a Beijing massage parlour that had already been heavily censored for its sexually explicit content.
3 P& O$ J& h( u( ^# Q9 w5 Q  M4 [6 @Lost In Beijing was released in Chinese cinemas on 30 November after scenes showing dirty streets, prostitutes and gambling were removed from the movie.

6 n! C, W4 n6 K" i$ aAccording to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, however, the film still violated regulations.

5 S9 _3 B' t( x% d0 u% j8 BIts producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.
( p* }0 y: _5 s6 i
. v- c) y1 v3 O( f8 ZThe drama - which involves the rape of a masseuse and her subsequent pregnancy - was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2007.

3 W- \9 o- I$ eIt went on to win a jury prize at the Bangkok International Film Festival last July.
, |/ W) p4 v' I/ E/ c
9 z1 i. N$ O* ]+ y'Inappropriate'

4 `* V8 q/ Y; g% I: c. a1 KAccording to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.

& X+ I# J* [9 \3 b; mIts 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.
/ Q) d1 |9 `+ T
& I& n4 M2 E6 C  B2 _& A! y& s"We are the victims of piracy. We are the biggest victims."

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.
/ s! @4 z* y  O* q7 W. P5 [
* J) ^7 [/ r8 R1 W6 m: wScenes set in Tiananmen Square, the site of pro-democracy protests that prompted a bloody military crackdown in 1989, were also removed.
4 ^8 ]) T1 k+ \! X- N  d
The censored version of the movie had already been released legitimately on DVD.