Angry Chinese Blogger
 |
 |
Angry Chinese Blogger:
The news and views about China that the big media can't, or won't, tell you The is no single truth Menu: Home |
|
Entries By Country
   |
The Great Face Game: When is a banned film not a banned film?
«
H E
»
News and Politics :: Sino-American :: Sino-Taiwanese :: Human rights and personal freedoms :: News and Perspectives ::
email
posted Wednesday, 8 March 2006
As anybody who knows anything about censorship will know, the banning of a film by the Chinese government often means two things
Usually, the banning of a film begins with a blanket edict, from the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, that a film is not to be released in theatres, shown on TV, or sold on DVDs or VCDs.
This edict is then usually followed by a circular to various media groups, prohibiting them from releasing any stories on the film that have not first been cleared by the state. So as to ensure that only the perspective that the government supports is aired, and that nothing is available, for public consumption, that disputes the state line on the film.
Lastly, any copies of the film within easy reach are then ineffectively seized, and further copies are ineffectively prevented from entering China from areas outside of state control.
If the government has anything particularly bad to say about the film, like it 'insult the feelings of the Chinese people', or it has too many Chinese actresses playing Japanese women, there might be a small amount of officially sanction outcry. But not all that much.
Otherwise, if the film is considered to be 'counterrevolutionary', 'seditious' or particularly 'unhealthy', it will usually cease to exist as far as the Chinese media is concerned, and you won't even hear that it has been banned.
There are, however a few exceptions to this. A few rare cases of films that are banned in China, but which Beijing is more than happy to advertise.
Unsurprisingly, most of these instances usually occur when Beijing sees an opportunity to gain face from said film, or to claim something that is successful, but is decidedly foreign, as being uniquely Chinese.
Enter the seminal romance “Brokeback Mountain”; colloquially know as 'The gay cowboy film'. A multi-award wining box office blockbuster that has won global critical acclaim, and which has 'a Chinese heart'. At least, according to the Chinese PR machine.
Breaking the Mold
Despite having the dubious distinction of having been “Banned on the Mainland”, the name “Brokeback Mountain” is all over the Chinese headlines this week, as Mainland newspapers discarding their traditional avoidance of censored films in their rush to be the first to congratulate renowned Chinese Director李安 (Li Ang), known in the west as Ang Lee, on two accounts.
Is Half a story is Better than None?
However, while both 李(Li/Lee) and “Brokeback Mountain” were plastered all over the headlines, some things never change.
Despite emphasizing that 李(Li/Lee) is a Chinese, and claiming his success with “Brokeback Mountain” as being akin to 'a victory for all Chinese, everywhere', most congratulatory Mainland news articles chose to gloss over the actual content of the film.
Quoting people describing it as being 'touching' and 'simple but perfect', the Mainland media carefully included only fringe references to the fact that “Brokeback Mountain” is a film about the romance between two male homosexuals, and even fewer references still to the fact that the multi-award winning production remains on the Beijing's list of prohibited movies.
Facts which have prompted a number of observers to raise some interesting, and ironic, points: Not only has “Brokeback Mountain” never been officially released in Mainland China, but it could also never have been made their either. Making it less of a victory for 'all Chinese', and more of a victory for one particular 'overseas Chinese'. With the emphasis being placed squarely on the word 'Overseas'.
Time Lapse
What is perhaps more telling than the Chinese media's use of a banned film, produced overseas, as a face gathering tool for the greater Chinese people, was the fact that Beijing not only considered 李(Li/Lee)'s film to be in need of stringent state censorship, but also his acceptance speech too.
In order to allow for translations to be made, the Oscar ceremony was broadcast, in China, using a 'time lag', only, when the time came to translate 李(Li/Lee)'s acceptance speech into Mandarin Chinese, the censors stepped in.
Although commentators made a great play on 李(Li/Lee) being a Chinese, segments of his acceptance speech mentioning homosexual love were glossed over or removed during translation, as were parts in which he attributed his success to his work with the Hong Kong and Taiwanese film industries.
Indicating, in the eyes of some observers, that Beijing desires to prevent a prominent Chinese from appearing to advocate homosexuality; which the Chinese government still publicly frowns on, and to gloss over the fact that 李(Li/Lee) remains staunchly Taiwanese and has strong ties to his home, and is not a Mainland Chinese, or 'a Loyal Chinese immigrant to the US, made good'.
Banned on the Mainland
While “Brokeback Mountain” received critical acclaim, and played to full houses, in both Hong Kong and Chinese-Taiwan, it was received very differently on the Chinese Mainland.
Far from being the subject of official adulation in China proper, “Brokeback Mountain” was summarily “Banned on the Mainland”.
Reports indicating that, upon viewing a pre release issue of “Brokeback Mountain”, censors with the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, were so outraged by its open depiction of a same sex relationship, that they decreed that the it could not be released in China in any form. Not even if the more 'intimate' scenes were removed.
As a consequence, “Brokeback Mountain” is only available on the Mainland as a pirate video.
Foreign Affairs
Drawing on from the irony of Beijing celebrating the success of a film that it banned, as being a credit to the talent of the greater Chinese people, a number of observers also chose to bring attention to the fact that much of 李(Li/Lee)'s success comes exclusively from his ability to operate outside of the tightly controlled Mainland film industry, and to take full advantage of the directorial freedom offered to him in overseas markets.
As such, observers have described Beijing's adulation of 李(Li/Lee), because of his Chinese roots, as being 'fatuous in the extreme' and have voiced that, had 李(Li/Lee) been a born a Mainland Chinese, rather than an overseas-Chinese, he might never have had the opportunity to reach his full potential as a film maker.
Creative Death Knell
In line with comments on the restricted nature of the Chinese film industry, observers have frequently accused Chinese state film and TV regulators of using so-called 'grey-list'; list of banned topics, and the fear of state censorship, to 'limit the creative avenues open to the cinematographers', in an effort to prevent the Chinese film industry becoming a source of social and political commentary.
Similarly, observers have warned that this politically motivated interference has serious connotation for the Chinese film industry because it acts to funnel Chinese productions into a small number of 'safe' genres.
An situation which means that many Mainland directors have few routes left open to them to bringing anything new to the industry, thus hampering the Chinese film industry's ability to grow, or to attract interest from lucrative external markets.
Still Banned?
When contacted, shortly after the award ceremony, officials with the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, were either unable or unwilling to comment on whether the administrative body might be willing to change its decision in light of “Brokeback Mountain”'s recent wins.
1) That the film cannot be shown on TV or in theatres, and cannot be sold in storesFor the Chinese government, this severe reaction serves as a Four fold form of protectionism, ensuring that:-
2) That the film is thrown into a bottomless pit of censorship and prohibitions that not only make it illegal to show it, but also to rate it, review it, or report on it - unless of course such articles have first been vetted by state censors.
- The message or subtext of a banned film cannot be publicly, or objectively, discussed
- The message or subtext of a banned film cannot be spread from beyond the grave by such discussions
- The reasons behind the film's banning cannot be discussed, or disputed
- A banned film is remembered only “in the way that Beijing desires”, or is forgotten entirely
Usually, the banning of a film begins with a blanket edict, from the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, that a film is not to be released in theatres, shown on TV, or sold on DVDs or VCDs.
This edict is then usually followed by a circular to various media groups, prohibiting them from releasing any stories on the film that have not first been cleared by the state. So as to ensure that only the perspective that the government supports is aired, and that nothing is available, for public consumption, that disputes the state line on the film.
Lastly, any copies of the film within easy reach are then ineffectively seized, and further copies are ineffectively prevented from entering China from areas outside of state control.
If the government has anything particularly bad to say about the film, like it 'insult the feelings of the Chinese people', or it has too many Chinese actresses playing Japanese women, there might be a small amount of officially sanction outcry. But not all that much.
Otherwise, if the film is considered to be 'counterrevolutionary', 'seditious' or particularly 'unhealthy', it will usually cease to exist as far as the Chinese media is concerned, and you won't even hear that it has been banned.
There are, however a few exceptions to this. A few rare cases of films that are banned in China, but which Beijing is more than happy to advertise.
Unsurprisingly, most of these instances usually occur when Beijing sees an opportunity to gain face from said film, or to claim something that is successful, but is decidedly foreign, as being uniquely Chinese.
Enter the seminal romance “Brokeback Mountain”; colloquially know as 'The gay cowboy film'. A multi-award wining box office blockbuster that has won global critical acclaim, and which has 'a Chinese heart'. At least, according to the Chinese PR machine.
Breaking the Mold
Despite having the dubious distinction of having been “Banned on the Mainland”, the name “Brokeback Mountain” is all over the Chinese headlines this week, as Mainland newspapers discarding their traditional avoidance of censored films in their rush to be the first to congratulate renowned Chinese Director李安 (Li Ang), known in the west as Ang Lee, on two accounts.
- For walking away with the converted 'Best Director' award, at the 78th academy awards, for his work on said banned movie.
- For being the first Chinese director ever to be granted this most prestigious of accolades.
| "Ang Lee is the pride of Chinese people all over the world, and he is the glory of Chinese cinematic talent" Headline, China Daily |
Is Half a story is Better than None?
However, while both 李(Li/Lee) and “Brokeback Mountain” were plastered all over the headlines, some things never change.
Despite emphasizing that 李(Li/Lee) is a Chinese, and claiming his success with “Brokeback Mountain” as being akin to 'a victory for all Chinese, everywhere', most congratulatory Mainland news articles chose to gloss over the actual content of the film.
Quoting people describing it as being 'touching' and 'simple but perfect', the Mainland media carefully included only fringe references to the fact that “Brokeback Mountain” is a film about the romance between two male homosexuals, and even fewer references still to the fact that the multi-award winning production remains on the Beijing's list of prohibited movies.
Facts which have prompted a number of observers to raise some interesting, and ironic, points: Not only has “Brokeback Mountain” never been officially released in Mainland China, but it could also never have been made their either. Making it less of a victory for 'all Chinese', and more of a victory for one particular 'overseas Chinese'. With the emphasis being placed squarely on the word 'Overseas'.
Time Lapse
What is perhaps more telling than the Chinese media's use of a banned film, produced overseas, as a face gathering tool for the greater Chinese people, was the fact that Beijing not only considered 李(Li/Lee)'s film to be in need of stringent state censorship, but also his acceptance speech too.
In order to allow for translations to be made, the Oscar ceremony was broadcast, in China, using a 'time lag', only, when the time came to translate 李(Li/Lee)'s acceptance speech into Mandarin Chinese, the censors stepped in.
Although commentators made a great play on 李(Li/Lee) being a Chinese, segments of his acceptance speech mentioning homosexual love were glossed over or removed during translation, as were parts in which he attributed his success to his work with the Hong Kong and Taiwanese film industries.
| "They taught all of us so much, not just about the gay men and women whose love is denied by society but, just as importantly, about the greatness of love itself." 李安 (Li Ang) Also known as Ang Lee, Director. |
Indicating, in the eyes of some observers, that Beijing desires to prevent a prominent Chinese from appearing to advocate homosexuality; which the Chinese government still publicly frowns on, and to gloss over the fact that 李(Li/Lee) remains staunchly Taiwanese and has strong ties to his home, and is not a Mainland Chinese, or 'a Loyal Chinese immigrant to the US, made good'.
Banned on the Mainland
While “Brokeback Mountain” received critical acclaim, and played to full houses, in both Hong Kong and Chinese-Taiwan, it was received very differently on the Chinese Mainland.
Far from being the subject of official adulation in China proper, “Brokeback Mountain” was summarily “Banned on the Mainland”.
Reports indicating that, upon viewing a pre release issue of “Brokeback Mountain”, censors with the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, were so outraged by its open depiction of a same sex relationship, that they decreed that the it could not be released in China in any form. Not even if the more 'intimate' scenes were removed.
As a consequence, “Brokeback Mountain” is only available on the Mainland as a pirate video.
Foreign Affairs
Drawing on from the irony of Beijing celebrating the success of a film that it banned, as being a credit to the talent of the greater Chinese people, a number of observers also chose to bring attention to the fact that much of 李(Li/Lee)'s success comes exclusively from his ability to operate outside of the tightly controlled Mainland film industry, and to take full advantage of the directorial freedom offered to him in overseas markets.
As such, observers have described Beijing's adulation of 李(Li/Lee), because of his Chinese roots, as being 'fatuous in the extreme' and have voiced that, had 李(Li/Lee) been a born a Mainland Chinese, rather than an overseas-Chinese, he might never have had the opportunity to reach his full potential as a film maker.
Creative Death Knell
In line with comments on the restricted nature of the Chinese film industry, observers have frequently accused Chinese state film and TV regulators of using so-called 'grey-list'; list of banned topics, and the fear of state censorship, to 'limit the creative avenues open to the cinematographers', in an effort to prevent the Chinese film industry becoming a source of social and political commentary.
Similarly, observers have warned that this politically motivated interference has serious connotation for the Chinese film industry because it acts to funnel Chinese productions into a small number of 'safe' genres.
An situation which means that many Mainland directors have few routes left open to them to bringing anything new to the industry, thus hampering the Chinese film industry's ability to grow, or to attract interest from lucrative external markets.
Still Banned?
When contacted, shortly after the award ceremony, officials with the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film & Television, were either unable or unwilling to comment on whether the administrative body might be willing to change its decision in light of “Brokeback Mountain”'s recent wins.
View Comments/Add a Comment