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.
9 p- B& ^/ W( C* E# `! T1 OLost 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.
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7 u& m% {3 f: y' o8 M% m0 p, RIts producers have been banned from making films in China for two years.

* ~0 M4 g% |7 W3 r* CThe 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 ]1 b$ f- b( c# r/ H8 V. ?According to the Chinese authorities, the film broke regulations by using "unhealthy and inappropriate promotional materials" in its marketing.

2 a1 y" x/ `# C1 o; OIts 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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9 K' v+ r4 a- H, S+ ?& T: b7 m"Why would I give the movie to pirates and hurt my own movie?" he told the Associated Press.

% T+ y1 s: G! a) H& s$ v"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.

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.