Film censorship in China

Film censorship in China involves the banning of films which are deemed unsuitable for release and it also involves the editing of such films and the removal of content which is objected to by the governments of China. In April 2018, films were reviewed by the China Film Administration (CFA) under the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) which dictates whether, when, and how a movie gets released.[1][2] The CFA is separate from the National Radio and Television Administration under the State Council.

## History

[edit]

### 1923 to 1949

[edit]

The beginning of film censorship in China came in July 1923, when the "Film Censorship Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Education Association" [note 1] was established in Jiangsu. The committee set out specific requirements for film censorship, such as that films must be submitted for review, and that films that failed to pass must be deleted and corrected, or else they would not be allowed to be screened. However, since the committee was a non-government organization and was mostly composed of educators, film makers did not comply with the requirements, which made film censorship ineffective.[3]: p.7–8

In 1926, after the Hangzhou Film Censorship Board, this was the most specific censorship procedure in recorded history and the first film censorship organization to cooperate fully with the police. The Beijing government also established the Film Censorship Committee in the same year. The censorship included issues of morality and crime, as well as indecency, obstruction of diplomatic relations, and "insult to China". However, the Chinese government is not able to extend its jurisdiction over localities, and the effect of film censorship is limited.[3]: p.7–8

In July 1930, the Nationalist Government established the Film and Drama Censorship Committee [note 2] in Nanjing. In 1931, the Executive Yuan passed the Film Censorship Law, and the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior of the Nanjing Government jointly established the Film Censorship Committee. In May 1934, the Film Censorship Council was reorganized into the Central Film Censorship Committee,[note 3] which became the official film censorship Institution.[3]: p.9–10

The 1930s were a period of nationalism in China. Patriotic sentiment was strong in China, and the Kuomintang government often accused foreign films of insulting China. For example, the 1934 release of the American film "Welcome Danger" was accused by Hong Shen of degrading the Chinese and he had a dispute with the cinema manager. The film was eventually banned by the Kuomintang government.[3]: p.9–10

In addition to crimes and insults to China, pornography was also one of banned contents. In 1932, the "Outline of the Enforcement of the Film Censorship Law"[note 4] had vague and ambiguous provisions: depicting obscene and unchaste acts; depicting those who use tricks or violence against the opposite sex to satisfy their lust; depicting incest directly or indirectly; depicting women undressed and naked in an abnormal manner; depicting women giving birth or abortion. All were prohibited.[3]: p.9–10

In the 1940s, the ROC government sought to prevent the release of Hollywood films which it viewed as insulting to China or Chinese people.[4]

### 1993 to 2017

[edit]

See also: § Film public screening permit

In 1993, a preliminary draft of the Film Regulations was sent to film studios throughout China for comments, and the Bureau of Legislative Affairs of the State Council coordinated with the Ministry of Propaganda, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, and the Press and Publication Administration to revise the submitted draft repeatedly. In May 1996, after several discussions, the State Administration of Radio and Television (SARFT) confirmed that the film regulations would be promulgated by the State Council, and on May 29, the Standing Committee of the State Council approved the Film Regulation, which came into effect on July 1, 1996. However, the 1996 film regulations soon failed to keep up with the development of the film industry, and China was actively seeking to join the WTO to comply with the open-door policy. The Ministry of Radio, Film and Television prepared a new version of the draft, and on December 25, 2001, the Standing Committee of the State Council approved the amendments and issued a new version of the Film Administration Regulations, which came into effect on February 1, 2002, and repealed the 1996 version.[5]: p.29–30

The 2001 regulations already require studios to conduct self-censorship when preparing their productions, and after self-censorship, scripts must be submitted to the SARFT for the record. The film must be submitted for review and approval before it is issued with a Film Public Screening Permit.[5]: p.58–59

After 2015, China strengthened the standards of control over film legislation. On October 12, 2015, the NPC's Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Health deliberated on the draft proposed by the State Council at the NPC Standing Committee. After three deliberations, in October 2016, the 12th NPC Standing Committee confirmed that it could be adopted with one amendment, and on November 3, 2016, a meeting was held to conclude the matter. The passage of the Film Industry Promotion Law is getting closer and closer.[5]: p.76–82

In January 2017, the SARFT issued a notice to its affiliated units throughout China to promote the Law, and on March 1, the Film Industry Promotion Law came into effect.[5]: p.84

### 2018 to present

[edit]

In March 2018, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party decided its publicity department would centralize the film management, taking that responsibility away from SAPPRFT,[6] the latter of which was renamed National Radio and Television Administration.[7][8] In April 2018, the department formally put up a China Film Administration sign.[9] The consequences of this institutional change soon became apparent for industry insiders. Instead of resisting the Chinese state, they were induced to collaborate and practice "complicit creativity," which entails concession, reconfiguration, and collusion.[2]

Indian films were de facto banned from theatrical release in China in 2020 and 2021 due to border skirmishes in addition to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

On June 11, 2021, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced that effective that day that it would begin censoring films according to the requirements from Hong Kong national security law, bringing itself more in line with the rest of the country.[11][12]

In July 2024, the China Film Administration announced that all short films may only appear at foreign film festivals or exhibitions if they obtain permits for public screenings.[13]

## Film public screening permit

[edit]

The Film Public Screening Permit (Chinese: 电影公映许可证) is issued by the Chinese film censorship department. Since July 1, 1996, films shot locally in China and films imported from abroad must be reviewed and filed in China before they can be released.[5]: 29

According to the Motion Picture Association of America's handbook, Hollywood producers who want to co-produce with Chinese must also apply for a permit before they can be released in China.[14]

## Quota for foreign films

[edit]

The Chinese censorship department's restrictions on the importation of foreign films were also under pressure from the United States,[5]: p.67–68 and China's position in the post-Cold War world had to be recognized by the United States. In 1999, China and the United States reached a bilateral agreement on WTO accession, and all countries except the United States opposed the inclusion of film and television products in the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. However, with Hollywood's lobbying group pushing China to neither obey nor ignore this rule, China increased the quota for foreign films in accordance with the U.S.-China agreement. Just before the agreement was reached, the U.S. bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia resulted in a five-month ban on U.S. films in China.[5]: p.53–55

In February 2012, China and the U.S. signed the Memorandum of Understanding between China and the U.S. on the Resolution of WTO Film-Related Issues (the U.S.-China Film Agreement), based on the 1999 agreement. The main content of the agreement is that the import quota for 20 Hollywood films can be unchanged, and 14 commercial films (3D or IMAX) can be added.[5]: p.67–68

The passage of the Film Industry Promotion Act was the cause of China's anti-WTO lawsuit. Back in April 2007, the U.S. requested China to lift restrictions on the import of movies, music and books. After unsuccessful negotiations, the U.S. requested the WTO to establish a trade dispute resolution panel. In December 2009, the Appellate Body upheld the decision, finding that China's restrictions violated WTO member states' obligations and could not be justified on the grounds of protecting public morals. That is, China did violate the restrictions on U.S. entertainment products. China's appeal on the grounds of protecting its citizens, especially minors, from harmful information such as pornography was not accepted. The BBC also reported that if China does not change its current practices within two years, the U.S. has the right to request WTO authorization to impose trade sanctions on China.[5]: p.67–68

## List of suspected banned or unreleased films

[edit]

See also: List of films banned in China

Below are films that may be banned or self-censored and not released. For official bans and specific reasons at the government level, see List of films banned in China.

Title  | Original release year  | Country of origin  | Notes

|
|
|

The Ten Commandments | 1923  | United States  | Banned in the 1930s under a category of "superstitious films" due to its religious subject matter involving gods and deities.[15]
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ | 1925  | United States  | Banned in the 1930s under a category of "superstitious films" due to its religious subject matter involving gods and deities.[15]
Frankenstein | 1931  | United States  | Banned under a category of "superstitious films" due to its "strangeness" and unscientific elements.[15]
Alice in Wonderland | 1933  | United States  | Banned under a category of "superstitious films" due to its "strangeness" and unscientific elements.[15]
The Unfinished Comedy | 1957  | China  | Banned for undermining socialist morality and attacking the Party.[16][17]
Ben-Hur | 1959  | United States  | Banned under the regime of Mao Zedong for containing "propaganda of superstitious beliefs, namely Christianity."[18][19]
Chung Kuo, Cina | 1972  | Italy  | Banned for 32 years for "anti-Chinese."[20]
Yellow Earth | 1984  | China  | Banned then released.[21]
Back to the Future | 1985  | United States  | The film was banned because of time travel.[22]
The Horse Thief | 1986  | China  | The film waited eight months for approval for public release. Ultimately, director Tian Zhuangzhuang told officials that he would re-edit the film to their specifications, and he worked under the close supervision of two censors to cut footage, including portions of a sky burial.[23][24] Tian felt the process was an "insult" and turned temporarily to commercial filmmaking out of frustration with the censors.[23][25] The released film was later withdrawn.[21]
Ju Dou | 1990  | China  | Banned upon initial release, but lifted in 1992.[21][26] The Chinese government gave permission for its viewing in July 1992.[27]
Mama | 1990  | China  | Released in China after a two-year ban.[28]
Life on a String | 1991  | China  | Banned altogether.[21]
Raise the Red Lantern | 1991  | China  | Banned upon initial release, released three years later.[21]
I Have Graduated | 1992  | China  | A documentary about some university students who experienced the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.[29]
Beijing Bastards | 1993  | China  | Banned due to subjects involving homosexuality and alienated young people.[30]
Farewell My Concubine | 1993  | China  | The film was objected to for its portrayal of homosexuality, suicide, and violence perpetrated under Mao Zedong's Communist government during the Cultural Revolution. It premiered in Shanghai in July 1993 but was removed from theatres after two weeks for further censorial review and subsequently banned in August. Because the film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the ban was met with international outcry.[31] Feeling there was "no choice" and fearing it hurt China's bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics, officials allowed the film to resume public showings in September. This release featured a censored version; scenes dealing with the Cultural Revolution and homosexuality were cut, and the final scene was revised to "soften the blow of the suicide".[32]
To Live | 1994  | China  | Banned due to its critical portrayal of various policies and campaigns of the Communist government. In addition, its director Zhang Yimou was banned from filmmaking for two years.[21][33][34] The ban on the film was lifted only in September 2008 after Zhang directed the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.[35]
The Square | 1994  | China  | The director was banned on all film-making earlier in the year.[36]
Weekend Lover | 1995  | China  | Banned for two years and then released.[37]
Father | 1996  | China  | Also known as Baba/Babu,[21] it was banned, but took home the top prize Golden Leopard at the Locarno Festival in 2000.[38]
East Palace, West Palace | 1997  | China  | Banned due to subjects involving homosexuality and alienated young people.[30]
Babe: Pig in the City | 1998  | United States  | Censor had a policy that live-action animals shown being able to speak were not allowed to be depicted.[39]
Lan Yu | 2001  | China  | The film was banned for homosexuality, references to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, and depiction of corruption in Beijing entrepreneurs.[40][41]
Conjugation | 2001  | China  | Directed by Emily Tang, it is a fictional film about the challenges faced by a young couple in the post-1989 Tiananmen Square protests era.[29]
Brokeback Mountain | 2005  | United States  | The film was banned for homosexuality, a "sensitive topic". China even censored Ang Lee's Academy Award for Best Director acceptance speech for references to homosexuality.[42]
King and the Clown | 2005  | South Korea  | The film was not shown in theaters due to "subtle gay themes" and sexually explicit language. It was given permission for distribution on DVD.[43]
V for Vendetta | 2005  | United States  | Starting in Aug 2020, the movie has been removed from China's major online video platforms, such as iQiyi, Tencent Video, Sohu, Douban, and Maoyan, because of anti-government themes. The Guy Fawkes mask worn by the film character V has been used as a symbol in anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong.[44] The movie was never shown in Chinese theaters, but it was unclear whether it had ever been banned prior to 2020. State-owned China Movie Channel surprised viewers back in 2012 by airing it, leading to false hopes about censorship reform.[45] An article on the Communist party's China Youth Daily website said it was previously prohibited from broadcast,[46] but the Associated Press quoted the then censors's spokesman Wu Baoan (吴保安) who said he was not aware of any ban.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest | 2006  | United States  | Banned in China because it had spirits swarming around as well as depictions of cannibalism.[47]
The Dark Knight | 2008  | United States  | Warner Bros. did not submit the film to censors for approval, citing "pre-release conditions" and "cultural sensitivities".[48]
Petition | 2009  | China  | The documentary depicts brutalization, harassment, and arrest of people who travel to Beijing to ask that wrongdoing by local officials be amended. The film was banned in China immediately following its premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.[49][50]
Spring Fever | 2009  | Hong Kong

France

| The film was created during a five-year ban instituted on director Lou Ye and producer Nai An, and it showed at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and in international theaters without permission. It portrays a gay romance, explicit sexual scenes and full-frontal nudity.[51]
Red Dawn | 2012  | United States  | The film was not released in China, despite changing the invading antagonist from China to North Korea.[52]
A Touch of Sin | 2013  | China  | The film depicts "shocking" violence in China caused by economic inequality and political corruption, including the shooting of local officials. During development of the film, censors asked director Jia Zhangke to revise dialogue and seemed generally unconcerned by violence. Censors did recommend Jia decrease the number of killings but allowed it when Jia refused. The film was cleared for foreign distribution and showed at international festivals. Although the film was initially cleared for local distribution, the film did not open in China on its release date and a directive was given telling journalists not to write about the film. The distributor Xstream Pictures released a statement saying it did not receive a notice the film was banned and that it was continuing to work on local distribution.[53]
World War Z | 2013  | United Kingdom, United States  | The movie contains zombies and has a lead role featuring Brad Pitt, whose films and entry to the country were disallowed after he starred in Seven Years in Tibet.[54]
Top Gun 3D | 2013  | United States  | The re-release got the silent treatment by the censor.[55] The congressional United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission concluded it portrayed U.S. military dominance.[52]
Captain Phillips | 2013  | United States  | In hacked emails, Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at Sony Pictures, suggested that the plot of American military saving Chinese citizen would make Chinese censor uncomfortable.[56] The direct-to-video was approved.[57]
Noah | 2014  | United States  | Banned for the depiction of prophets.[58]
Crimson Peak | 2015  | United States  | It was reported that the film may be banned because it contained ghosts and supernatural elements.[59][60] However, Chinese artist and social commentator Aowen Jin believed it more likely that the film was banned due to sexual content and incest.[61]
Mad Max: Fury Road | 2015  | Australia,

United States

| Submitted and rejected by censors, possibly due to its dystopian themes.[62] The direct-to-video somehow got approval.[63]
Call Me by Your Name | 2017  | United States  | Due to homosexuality,[64][65] the film was pulled from the Beijing International Film Festival.[66]
Christopher Robin | 2018  | United States  | While no official reason was given for denying the film's release, images of Winnie-the-Pooh were previously censored and banned since 2017 after social media users compared Pooh to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, causing the character to become associated with political resistance. However, an alternative theory suggested the film was denied because a number of Hollywood tentpole films were competing for space in the limited foreign film quota.[67]
Berlin, I Love You | 2019  | Germany  | Ai Weiwei claimed that the producers were politically pressured to cut the segment he directed because distributors fears his involvement would hurt the film in China. He directed the segment remotely while under house arrest in China for his political activism.[68][69]
Joker | 2019  | United States  | Not cleared for release.[70][11]
Monster Hunter | 2020  | United States  | Soon after the release in China on Dec 3, the film was pulled from theaters because a scene featuring a banter between MC Jin's character and his military comrade was considered racially offensive by local audience, despite the Chinese subtitles interpreted it differently. Jin jokingly said: "Look at my knees!" which is followed by the question "What kind of knees are these?" He then answered, "Chi-knees!" Some Chinese viewers interpreted this as a reference to the racist playground chant "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees", and therefore as an insult to China. The subtitles, however, interpreted as there is gold under a man's knees, so man should not easily kneel. The film was removed from circulation, and Chinese authorities censored references to it online. Tencent Pictures, which is handling local distribution and is an equity partner in the film, is reported to be remedying the situation, but it remains unclear if the movie would then be re-released.[71]
Inside the Red Brick Wall | 2021  | Hong Kong  | A sold-out theatrical premiere of the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests documentary featuring the siege of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University was canceled.[72]
Where the Wind Blows | 2021  | Hong Kong  | Its world premiere at the 45th Hong Kong International Film Festival was pulled for "technical reasons".[72][73][74] The film ultimately received approval and premiered at the 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival.[75] It was released in cinemas on February 5, 2023, in China and February 17 in Hong Kong.[76] Tony Leung Chiu-wai won Best Actor for his role in the film at the Asian Film Awards on March 12, 2023.[77]
An Unfinished Film | 2024  | Singapore  | The film hardly has any chance to be shown in China due to the depiction of frantic control of the pandemic.[78]

## List of edited films

[edit]

Title  | Release year in mainland China  | Country of origin  | Notes

|
|
|

Titanic | 1998  | United States  | The scene in which Rose (Kate Winslet) poses nude for a painting is altered to show her from the neck up, removing her breasts from the shot.[79]
Infernal Affairs | 2002  | Hong Kong  | The ending sees a triad member who has infiltrated the police shoot a member of his gang to prevent becoming exposed. It was unacceptable in China for a criminal to avoid justice, and three endings were shot for censors to approve. In the chosen ending, the mole is confronted by police and he voluntarily gives up his police badge.[80][81]
Running on Karma | 2003  | Hong Kong  | It ran afoul of Beijing censors for depicting a Chinese protagonist (Cecilia Cheung) reincarnated from a Japanese soldier. Such a premise, though overtly comedic, offends a Chinese government to whom Sino-Japanese relations remain fractious. According to the film's co-writer Au Kin-yee, SAPPRFT – ever vigilant against superstition – also objected to the male hero's preternatural ability to perceive the past lives of others. Consequently, the Milkyway Image creative team excised the male hero's extrasensory 'visions' from the mainland release, resulting in nonsensical stretches of action.[82]
Mission: Impossible III | 2006  | United States  | Censors felt that the film's establishing shot of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) walking past underwear hung from a clothesline was a negative portrayal of Shanghai.[83]
Babel | 2006  | United States, Mexico, Japan  | Censors cut five minutes of nudity scenes.[84]
Casino Royale | 2006  | United Kingdom, United States, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany  | Judi Dench as M said she had to substitute the line "'God, I miss the old times" for "Christ, I miss the Cold War" for release to be allowed in China.[85]
The Departed | 2006  | United States  | Banned from movie theaters for suggesting that the Chinese government might use nuclear weapons against Taiwan,[22] but the direct-to-video got approval (after cutting a few minutes).[86]
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End | 2007  | United States  | Captain Sao Feng, played by Chow Yun-fat, demonizes the Chinese and Singapore.[87][88]
Lust, Caution | 2007  | United States, China, Taiwan  | Censors objected to the film's "political and sexually provocative content" and criticized the film as a "glorification of traitors and insulting to patriots". Seven minutes of sexually graphic scenes were cut by director Ang Lee. Actress Tang Wei was subsequently banned from Chinese media, and award shows were advised to remove her and the film's producers from guest lists. Online mentions of the film and Tang were removed.[89]
Iron Man 2 | 2010  | United States  | Words for "Russia" and "Russian" were left untranslated in the subtitles, and the spoken words were muffled.[90]
Titanic 3D | 2012  | United States  | The film is again altered to remove Rose's breasts from the scene in which she poses nude for a painting.[79] Satirical jokes attributed the following explanation for the cuts to an SAPPRFT official: 3D effects would cause audiences to "reach out their hands for a touch and thus interrupt other people's viewing".[91]
Mystery | 2012  | China  | The film was edited for release in China. In response, director Lou Ye removed his name from the film and published his negotiations with the censorship bureau onto Weibo.[92]
Men in Black 3 | 2012  | United States  | An alien disguised as a Chinese restaurant worker was offensive for the screen. 13 minutes were claimed to be cut.[citation needed]
Looper | 2012  | United States  | Despite the added Chinese element, the deputy head from SAPPRFT criticized a string of films for not obeying the co-production rules.[93]
Skyfall | 2013  | United Kingdom, United States  | A scene in which James Bond (Daniel Craig) kills a security guard in Shanghai was cut for referencing prostitution in Macau, which was felt to be "morally or politically damaging" and because it was felt to suggest China cannot defend itself.[83][94]
Cloud Atlas | 2013  | Germany, United States, United Kingdom  | Scenes with sexual content involving straight and gay couples were cut. Thirty-eight minutes, roughly twenty percent of the film's original runtime, was removed.[95][96]
Iron Man 3 | 2013  | United States  | Four minutes of Chinese scenes were added to the local version for "an easier ride with Chinese film censors". They include a product placement from Mengniu Dairy, claiming the milk is good for Iron Man, and additions of Chinese doctors into a surgery scene to "court Chinese censors".[83][97]
Django Unchained | 2013  | United States  | Violent scenes were altered.[98][99]
No Man's Land | 2013  | China  | The film, completed in 2010, underwent a three-and-a-half-year approval process.[100] It experienced two major revisions to reduce violent content and clarify thematic intention, and it was reported that the film was removed from release schedules six times.[101]
Parasyte: Part 1 and Parasyte: Part 2 | 2014 & 2015  | Japan  | The 2-part film from 2014 and 2015 was merged into one single release in China in 2016, cutting more than 100 minutes of bloody and violent scenes.[citation needed]
Kingsman: The Secret Service | 2015  | United Kingdom  | Scenes were cut due to violent and sexual content.[102]
The Revenant | 2016  | United States  | Thirty seconds are rumored to have been cut.[103]
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children | 2016  | United States  | A scene in which the characters enjoy an "eyeball feast" was cut.[104]
Hacksaw Ridge | 2016  | Australia, United States  | Fewer than thirty seconds of graphic violence were cut.[105]
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter | 2017  | Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia  | Seven or eight minutes[54] were cut due to graphic violence and blood.[106]
Logan | 2017  | United States  | Scenes were removed for violence and "brief nudity". The film was also the first affected by the PRC Film Industry Promotion Law effective on March 1, 2017, which requires the film to include a warning for minors in marketing materials.[107]
Love Off the Cuff | 2017  | Hong Kong  | Crude jokes were removed from the film.[108]
Alien: Covenant | 2017  | United States  | Six minutes is scenes which titular aliens covered in blood were cut, leaving "one to two minutes" of the creatures in the film. Other scenes involving violence were also altered.[109] The gay kiss scene between two androids David and Walter was also cut.[106]
Bohemian Rhapsody | 2019  | United Kingdom, United States  | The film was approved for a limited release after one minute of content was cut. This content involved drug use and the male lead character Freddie Mercury kissing other men. The approval follows public outcry over a local streaming company censoring the phrase "gay man" from Rami Malek's acceptance speech for Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Mercury in the film.[110]
Better Days | 2019  | Hong Kong, China  | The original version that was submitted to 69th Berlin International Film Festival ran 138 minutes, while the version theatrically released in China stood at 135 minutes. The various changes that were made intended to, "blunt the most scathing aspects of Tsang's social critique, while simultaneously communicating that the wisdom of China's party leaders has already righted many of the ills the film presents."[111]
The Eight Hundred | 2020  | China  | The film was pulled from the 2019 release slate to please censors. The approved version that premiered on August 21, 2020, is reported to be 13 minutes shorter than the one that would have screened in 2019.[112]
One Second | 2020  | China  | Though finally released in Nov 2020,[113] the Cultural Revolution-backdropped film was abruptly pulled from the 69th Berlin International Film Festival for "technical reasons".[73][114][115][116][117]
Friends: The Reunion | 2021  | United States  | Chinese streaming sites Youku, iQIYI, and Tencent Video have removed scenes featuring Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and BTS.[118] While it's unclear who had ordered the cut, Lady Gaga has been banned following her 2016 meeting with Dalai Lama.[119] Justin Bieber was also banned from performing in China, with authorities blaming his "bad behavior" in 2017.[120] BTS faced boycott calls in China in 2020 after band member RM endorsed the alliance between the United States and South Korea during Korean War.[121]
Fight Club | 2022  | United States  | Originally released in 1999, but released in China in 2022. This release of the film features an altered ending: a text screen explaining that the authorities triumphed after figuring out Project Mayhem's plan, and that Tyler Durden was committed to a psychiactric institution. This prompted backlash and the film's original ending was subsequently restored.[122]
Minions: The Rise of Gru | 2022  | United States  | Minions: The Rise of Gru was released in China with an altered ending akin to the altered Fight Club ending; a text screen is shown instead, explaining that Wild Knuckles was arrested and sentenced to twenty years in prison, pursued his love of acting and started his own theater troupe, while Gru "returned to his family".[123][124]
Lord of War | 2022  | United States  | Originally released in 2005, but released in China in 2022. This release of the film cuts the final 30 minutes from the film and replaces it with a text screen summary stating that Yuri Orlov confessed to all crimes and was sentenced to life in prison.[122]

### Run time shortened by the producer and/or the distributor to ensure the profit of Chinese movie theaters

[edit]

Title  | Release year in mainland China  | Country of origin  | Notes

|
|
|

The Matrix Reloaded[125] | 2003  | Australia, United States  |
Resident Evil: Afterlife[125] | 2010  | United States, Germany, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom  |
Prometheus[125] | 2012  | United Kingdom, United States  |
The Company You Keep | 2012  | United States  | Mr. Jiao, a publicist for the film's Chinese distributor, told Xiaoxiang Morning Newspaper that 23 minutes were cut for commercial reasons. Despite that, the scheduling for the film in Changsha was not satisfactory.[126] Subsequently, the June 2017 notice from SAPPRFT banned the spread of so-called complete or uncut versions.[127]
Dhoom 3 | 2013  | India  | Mr. Peng, a manager of a local cinema in Changsha, told Xiaoxiang Morning News that the three-hour film was too long for Chinese audiences.[126] Subsequently, the June 2017 notice from SAPPRFT banned the spread of so-called complete or uncut versions.
Resident Evil: Retribution[125] | 2013  | Germany, United States, Canada, Japan  |
American Hustle | 2014  | United States  | It was reported that local distributors, not SAPPRFT, were behind the trimming of 30 minutes.[125] Subsequently, the June 2017 notice from SAPPRFT banned the spread of so-called complete or uncut versions.
Fury[125] | 2014  | United States  |
Rush[125] | 2015  | United Kingdom, Germany, United States  |
Allied[125] | 2016  | United Kingdom, United States  |
Dangal | 2017  | India  | Although China Film Insider reported that the 20+ minute cut was not forced by the censor,[128] the June 2017 notice from SAPPRFT banned the spread of so-called complete or uncut versions.
The Lost City of Z | 2017  | United States  | It was reported that unnamed sources claimed the 37-minute trimmings were made by the film's producers, not by SAPPRFT.[128] Subsequently, the June 2017 notice from SAPPRFT banned the spread of so-called complete or uncut versions.
Deadpool & Wolverine | 2024  | United States  | Certain "bawdy language and crass dialogue" are removed, while "euphemisms for narcotics and certain body parts" are kept. Translated Chinese subtitles help soften the literal lines.[129]
Deadpool 2 | 2018  | United States  | While the original version was not shown in China, the PG-13 version called Once Upon a Deadpool was released to be palatable to the censors, but retitled to Deadpool 2: I Love My Family.[129]

## See also

[edit]

* Chinese censorship abroad
* List of TV and films with critiques of Chinese Communist Party

## Note

[edit]

Original Titles in Chinese.

1. ^ 江苏省教育会电影审阅委员会
2. ^ 电影戏剧审查委员会
3. ^ 中央电影检查委员会
4. ^ 电影检查法执行纲要

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "国家新闻出版署（国家版权局）、国家电影局揭牌". people.cn. April 16, 2018. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
2. ^ a b Fang, Jun (2024). "The Culture of Censorship: State Intervention and Complicit Creativity in Global Film Production". American Sociological Review. 89 (3): 488–517\. doi:10.1177/00031224241236750. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
3. ^ a b c d e Wang, Xiaoya (2018). 民国电影检查的主题与问题1932‑1937 ：以辱华、左翼、肉感为重点 [Issues and problems of film censorship in Republican China (1932–1937) : with a focus on Insulting Chinese, the left wing and sensuality] (Master thesis). Nanyang Technological University. doi:10.32657/10220/46621. hdl:10220/46621. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
4. ^ Gao, Yunxiang (2021). Arise, Africa! Roar, China! Black and Chinese Citizens of the World in the Twentieth Century. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. p. 214\. ISBN 9781469664606.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i : Liang, Ting-Ting (2018). 中國電影的立法之路——從《電影管理條例》到《電影產業促進法》 [The legislative road of Chinese film: from Regulations on Administration of the Films Industry to Film Industry Promotion Law] (PDF) (Master thesis). nccur.lib. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
6. ^ "中共中央印发《深化党和国家机构改革方案》". Xinhua News Agency. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
7. ^ "China Movie Industry Oversight Shifted to Communist Propaganda Department". Variety. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
8. ^ "China Film Industry to be Regulated by Communist Party Propaganda Department". Deadline. May 21, 2018. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
9. ^ "国家新闻出版署（国家版权局）、国家电影局揭牌". Xinhua News Agency. April 16, 2018. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
10. ^ Davis, Rebecca (December 14, 2021). "'Chhichhore' to Be First Major Indian Film Release in China After Two Years of Ban". Variety. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
11. ^ a b Zhong, Raymond (June 11, 2021). "China's Censorship Widens to Hong Kong's Vaunted Film Industry, With Global Implications". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
12. ^ "Amendments to guidelines for censors under Film Censorship Ordinance gazetted". www.info.gov.hk (in English and Chinese). Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
13. ^ Cai, Vanessa (July 5, 2024). "China regulator says short films must follow the script for overseas screenings". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
14. ^ "China-International Film Co-Production Handbook" (PDF). Motion Picture Association. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
15. ^ a b c d Yingjin, Zhang (1999). Cinema and Urban Culture in Shanghai, 1922–1943. Stanford University Press. p. 190\. ISBN 9780804735728. OCLC 40230511.
16. ^ Paul Clark; Professor Paul Clark (1987). Chinese Cinema: Culture and Politics Since 1949. CUP Archive. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-521-32638-4. \- Access date: May 23, 2020 - Archive \- archive date: October 10, 2019.
17. ^ Bao, Ying (2008). "The Problematics of Comedy: New China Cinema and the Case of Lü Ban". Modern Chinese Literature and Culture. 20 (2): 185–228\. JSTOR 41482537.
18. ^ Parker, Mike (November 1, 2015). "Hollywood fears sales slump as China BANS ghost movies". Daily Express. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
19. ^ Mark (April 19, 2011). "5 Types Of Movies You Can't See In China [VIDEOS]". COED Magazine. Archived from the original on April 26, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
20. ^ York, Geoffrey (April 9, 2009). "China lifts ban on film icon". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
21. ^ a b c d e f g Jonathon Green; Nicholas J. Karolides (April 1, 2005). Encyclopedia of Censorship. Facts on File from Infobase Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 978-0816044641. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
22. ^ a b "Beyond 'The Interview': A short list of films banned for political reasons". Los Angeles Times. December 23, 2014. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
23. ^ a b Clements, Marcelle (April 3, 1994). "Film; "The Blue Kite" Sails Beyond the Censors". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
24. ^ "The Horse Thief". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
25. ^ Berry, Michael (2005). Speaking in Images: Interviews with Contemporary Chinese Filmmakers. Columbia University Press. p. 64\. ISBN 978-0231133302. OCLC 56614243.
26. ^ Zhang Yimou. Frances K. Gateward, Yimou Zhang, Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2001, pp. 26–7
27. ^ Zhang Yimou. Frances K. Gateward, Yimou Zhang, Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2001, p. 42.
28. ^ "Mama". Time Out. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
29. ^ a b Chow, Vivienne (May 28, 2021). "Hong Kong Censors Issue Warning Over Tiananmen Film Screenings". Variety. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
30. ^ a b Eckholm, Erik (December 26, 1999). "FILM; Feted Abroad, and No Longer Banned in Beijing". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
31. ^ Kristof, Nicholas D. (August 4, 1993). "China Bans One of Its Own Films; Cannes Festival Gave It Top Prize". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
32. ^ Tyler, Patrick E. (September 4, 1993). "China's Censors Issue a Warning". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
33. ^ Ebert, Roger. "To Live Archived September 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine." Chicago Sun Times. December 23, 1994. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
34. ^ Zhang Yimou. Frances K. Gateward, Yimou Zhang, University Press of Mississippi, 2001, pp. 63–4.
35. ^ Chu, Karen (October 2, 2008). "More ban for the buck in China". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
36. ^ Rooney, David (1995). "Review: 'The Square'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
37. ^ Watts, Jonathan (September 8, 2006). "Camera obscured". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
38. ^ "Award for banned Chinese film". BBC. August 13, 2000. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
39. ^ Schwankert, Steven (July 18, 2017). "Is Winnie the Pooh Banned in China?". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
40. ^ Ansen, David (July 29, 2002). "Film: From China, With Love". Newsweek. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
41. ^ Friess, Steve (August 18, 2002). "Defying China's Unwritten Rules". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
42. ^ Barboza, David (March 12, 2006). "Read all about 'Brokeback,' but you won't see it in China". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
43. ^ "China wary of S. Korean film". Los Angeles Times. July 7, 2006. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
44. ^ Huang, Tzu-ti (August 18, 2020). "'V for Vendetta' pulled in China". Taiwan News. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
45. ^ "China anti-censorship hopes rise after state TV airs V for Vendetta". Associated Press. December 20, 2012. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
46. ^ "央视播出"禁片"让人感到惊喜-中国青年报". zqb.cyol.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
47. ^ Sims, David (October 22, 2015). "China's No-Ghost Protocol Is Hampering Movie Flops". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
48. ^ McNary, Dave (December 23, 2007). "China to miss out on 'Dark Knight'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
49. ^ Wong, Edward (August 13, 2011). "Chinese Director's Path From Rebel to Insider". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
50. ^ Qin, Amy (December 28, 2015). "As China Hungers for Coal, 'Behemoth' Studies the Ravages at the Source". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
51. ^ Lim, Dennis (July 30, 2010). "In 'Spring Fever,' Lou Ye Confronts China's Repression". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
52. ^ a b O’Connor, Sean; Armstrong, Nicholas (October 28, 2015). "DIRECTED BY HOLLYWOOD, EDITED BY CHINA: HOW CHINA'S CENSORSHIP AND INFLUENCE AFFECT FILMS WORLDWIDE" (PDF). The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
53. ^ Wong, Edward (November 22, 2013). "No Release in Sight for Film Exploring China's Violence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
54. ^ a b Ryan, Fergus (February 16, 2017). "China Censors Slash 'Resident Evil: The Final Chapter'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
55. ^ Cieply, Michael; Barnes, Brooks (January 14, 2013). "To Get Movies into China, Hollywood Gives Censors a Preview". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
56. ^ Baldwin, Clare; Cooke, Kristina (July 24, 2015). "How Sony sanitized the new Adam Sandler movie to please Chinese censors". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 4, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
57. ^ Amazon Archived September 23, 2024, at the Wayback Machine. [2019-01-18].
58. ^ Nathan, Fred (May 9, 2014). "Noah denied release in China". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
59. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (October 21, 2015). "China's No-Ghost Rule Could Haunt 'Crimson Peak'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
60. ^ Sims, David (October 22, 2015). "Why China Bans Movies Featuring Ghosts". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
61. ^ Jin, Aowen (December 6, 2015). "Is China really scared of ghost films?". BBC. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
62. ^ Shackleton, Liz (March 2, 2016). "Oscar films face tough road in China". Screendaily.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
63. ^ Amazon Archived March 10, 2021, at the Wayback Machine. [2019-01-18].
64. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (March 26, 2018). "Beijing Film Festival Drops 'Call Me by Your Name' As China Tightens Grip on Media". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
65. ^ Li, Pei; Jourdan, Adam (March 6, 2018). Macfie, Nick (ed.). "Beijing festival pulls award-winning gay film amid content squeeze". Beijing, Shanghai: Reuters. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
66. ^ "A Film Festival in China Has Dropped Call Me By Your Name From Its Lineup". March 26, 2018. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
67. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (August 3, 2018). "Disney's 'Christopher Robin' Won't Get China Release Amid Pooh Crackdown". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
68. ^ Frater, Patrick; Meza, Ed (February 20, 2019). "Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Accuses 'I Love You, Berlin' Producers of Censorship". Variety. Archived from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
69. ^ Roxborough, Scott (February 18, 2019). "Ai Weiwei Was Cut From 'Berlin, I Love You' Because Backers Feared a China Backlash". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 19, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
70. ^ "Joker Unlikely to Be Released in Chinese Theaters". CBR. October 24, 2019. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
71. ^ Davis, Rebecca (December 5, 2020). "'Monster Hunter' Pulled From Chinese Cinemas Over Scene Said to Be Racial Slur". Variety. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
72. ^ a b Frater, Patrick; Davis, Rebecca; Chow, Vivienne (April 22, 2021). "Hong Kong's Once-Thriving Film Industry Faces a Rocky Reboot Amidst Closer Ties With China". Variety. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
73. ^ a b Frater, Patrick (March 29, 2021). "Hong Kong Film Festival Cancels Opening Movie, Citing Unspecified Technical Reasons". Variety. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
74. ^ "Where the Wind Blows (Cancelled)". www.hkiff.org.hk. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
75. ^ "HKIFF". www.hkiff.org.hk. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
76. ^ Theory of Ambitions (2022) – Release info – IMDb, archived from the original on July 6, 2024, retrieved March 15, 2023
77. ^ Shackleton, Liz (March 13, 2023). "'Drive My Car' Wins Best Feature At Asian Film Awards; Tony Leung Takes Best Actor, Asian Contribution Award". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
78. ^ "Chinese artists caught between Beijing, desire for Western success". Voice of America. June 1, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
79. ^ a b Brzeski, Patrick (April 12, 2012). "Chinese 'Titanic' Fans Balk at Cuts to Rerelease". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
80. ^ Sala, Ilaria Maria (September 22, 2016). "'No ghosts. No gay love stories. No nudity': tales of film-making in China". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
81. ^ Vittachi, Nury (January 1, 2015). "China's Crime-Free Crime Films". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
82. ^ Chan, Felicia; Willis, Andy (2016). Chinese Cinemas: International Perspectives. Routledge. ISBN 9781317431480. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
83. ^ a b c Langfitt, Frank (May 18, 2015). "How China's Censors Influence Hollywood". NPR. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
84. ^ "Babel cut for Chinese audiences". Metro UK. March 27, 2007. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
85. ^ "Judi Dench continues to earn Academy's respect". CTV News. January 25, 2007. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
86. ^ "《无间道风云》删敏感情节 内地将发行DVD". sohu. April 12, 2007. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
87. ^ "China censors "Pirates" for "vilifying Chinese"". Thomson Reuters. June 15, 2007. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
88. ^ "China gives bald pirate the chop". Associated Press. June 15, 2007. Archived from the original on June 18, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2006.
89. ^ Chu, Karen (March 9, 2008). ""Lust, Caution" actress banned in China". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
90. ^ "'Iron Man' shows Hollywood's bent to take on China censors' steely grip". Thomson Reuters. April 30, 2013. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
91. ^ Anderson, Chris (April 13, 2012). "China Censors Kate Winslet's 'Titanic 3D' Breasts". HuffPost. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
92. ^ Gibson, Anthony (November 15, 2013). "Chinese film-maker Lou Ye: Social media is weakening censorship". Metro. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
93. ^ Burkitt, Laurie (August 27, 2012). "Warning from China Film Watchdog: Not Enough 'Co' in Co-Productions". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on December 15, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
94. ^ "Censored Bond film Skyfall opens in China". BBC News. January 21, 2013. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
95. ^ Watt, Louise (January 24, 2013). "Chinese censors chop 38 minutes from Cloud Atlas including gay and straight love scenes". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
96. ^ Gupta, Prachi (January 24, 2013). "Chinese censors cut love scenes from 'Cloud Atlas'". Salon. Archived from the original on October 8, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
97. ^ Wan, William (May 6, 2013). "'Iron Man 3' is latest Hollywood movie to court Chinese censors". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
98. ^ Child, Ben (April 10, 2013). "Quentin Tarantino stems bloodflow in Django Unchained for Chinese market". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
99. ^ Child, Ben (May 14, 2013). "Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, slashed, sees weak Chinese opening". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 4, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
100. ^ Coonan, Clifford (December 4, 2013). "After Lengthy Ban, 'No Man's Land' Blasts Onto Chinese Screens". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
101. ^ Lin, Lilian (December 3, 2013). "After Battling Censors, Chinese Thriller Finally Premieres". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
102. ^ Coonan, Clifford (March 30, 2015). "China Box Office: Colin Firth's Charm Helps 'Kingsman' to Regal Performance". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
103. ^ Papish, Jonathan (March 17, 2016). "On Screen China: Behind 'The Revenant's Fast Trip to Chinese Screens". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
104. ^ Schwankert, Steven (December 1, 2016). "Tim Burton's 'Peculiar Children' Makes Cut for China Market". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
105. ^ Ryan, Fergus (December 13, 2016). "'Hacksaw Ridge' Gives Itself 12+ Age Rating for China". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
106. ^ a b Brzeski, Patrick (June 18, 2017). "Chinese Censors Cut Michael Fassbender's Gay Kiss From 'Alien: Covenant'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
107. ^ Ryan, Fergus (March 1, 2017). "'Logan' Becomes First Film in China Affected By New Law". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on June 18, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
108. ^ Jifan, Wang (May 8, 2017). "Four minutes shorter than the HK version. What's gone?". HK01.com. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
109. ^ Liu, Charles (June 9, 2017). "China Censored Version of 'Alien: Covenant' Has Next to No Alien in It". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
110. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (February 27, 2019). "'Bohemian Rhapsody' Gets Surprise Permission for China Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
111. ^ "Inside the Censorship Battle Over Oscar Nominee 'Better Days': "It Was a Tug-of-War"". The Hollywood Reporter. April 18, 2021. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
112. ^ Davis, Rebecca (August 23, 2020). "'The Eight Hundred' Marches to $119 Million Total at Chinese Box Office". Variety. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
113. ^ "一秒钟 (豆瓣)". movie.douban.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
114. ^ "69th Berlin International Film Festival February 07- 17, 2019". www.berlinale.de. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
115. ^ "Selection for Competition and Berlinale Special Completed" (PDF). berlinale. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
116. ^ Patrick Frater (February 11, 2019). "Banned in Berlin: Why China Said No Go to Zhang Yimou". Variety. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
117. ^ Amy Qin (February 13, 2019). "Film Set in China's Cultural Revolution Is Pulled From Berlin Festival". New York Times. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
118. ^ "Why Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and BTS Are Cut From 'Friends' Reunion in China". Vice.com. May 27, 2021. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
119. ^ "China 'bans Lady Gaga' after Dalai Lama meeting". the Guardian. June 28, 2016. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
120. ^ Fan, Jiayang. "Why Justin Bieber Got Banned from Performing in China". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
121. ^ Davis, Rebecca (October 13, 2020). "BTS Faces Backlash in China Over Korean War Comments". Variety. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
122. ^ a b "China Changes 'Fight Club' Ending, Sparking Social Media Storm". Bloomberg.com. January 25, 2022. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
123. ^ Horwitz, Josh (August 22, 2022). "Chinese censors change ending of latest 'Minions' movie". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
124. ^ Alter, Ethan (August 24, 2022). "'Minions: The Rise of Gru' features a new ending in China due to local censors". Yahoo. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
125. ^ a b c d e f g h Papish, Jonathan (March 8, 2017). "R-Rated Films in China". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
126. ^ a b Li, Fangming (July 16, 2014). "咔嚓后，是福利还是残缺？". Xiaoxiang Morning News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
127. ^ 新华社. 新闻出版广电总局发文加强网络视听节目管理 Archived October 10, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. gov.cn. June 2, 2017. [2019-03-03].
128. ^ a b Ryan, Fergus (May 25, 2017). "'Lost City of Z' Trims Runtime to Take on 'Wonder Woman'". China Film Insider. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
129. ^ a b Schwartzel, Erich; Spegele, Brian (August 2, 2024). "How Disney's Deadpool Danced Around China's Censors—Cocaine, F-Bombs and All". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Teo, Stephen (2009). "Reactions Against the Wuxia Genre". Chinese Martial Arts Cinema: The Wuxia Tradition. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 38–53\. ISBN 978-0748632862.
* Bai, S. (2013). Recent developments in the Chinese film censorship system [PDF file]. Retrieved from https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1478&context=gs_rp.
* Canaves, S. (2016). Trends in Chinese film law and regulation. ChinaFilmInsider. Retrieved from http://chinafilminsider.com/trends-in-chinese-film-law-and-regulation/.
* GBTIMES Beijing. (2017). China launches first film censorship law. GBTimes. Retrieved from https://gbtimes.com/china-launches-first-film-censorship-law.
* Weiying Peng (2015). "3" (PDF). China, Film Coproduction and Soft Power Competition (doctor thesis). Queensland University of Technology. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2022.

## Further reading

[edit]

Library resources about
Film censorship in China

* * *

* Resources in your library
* Resources in other libraries

* Cheng, Jim (November 2004). An Annotated Bibliography of Chinese Film Studies. Hong Kong University Press. p. 416\. ISBN 9789622097032. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
* Fang, Jun (2024). "The Culture of Censorship: State Intervention and Complicit Creativity in Global Film Production". American Sociological Review.
* Johnson, Matthew D. (2012), "Propaganda and Censorship in Chinese Cinema", in Zhang, Yingjin (ed.), A Companion to Chinese Cinema, Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 153–178, ISBN 9781444330298
* Shambaugh, David (January 2007). "China's Propaganda System: Institutions, Processes and Efficacy". The China Journal. 57 (57): 25–58\. doi:10.1086/tcj.57.20066240. S2CID 222814073.
* R.E (February 3, 1937). "U. S. Film Co. at Odds with Chinese Censors". Far Eastern Survey. 6 (3): 36. doi:10.2307/3021935. JSTOR 3021935.
* Wall, Michael C. (2011). "Censorship and Sovereignty: Shanghai and the Struggle to Regulate Film Content in the International Settlement". Journal of American-East Asian Relations. 18: 37–57\. doi:10.1163/187656111X577456.
* Wang, Chaoguang (2007). "The Politics of Filmmaking: An Investigation of the Central Film Censorship Committee in the Mid-1930s". Frontiers of History in China. 2 (3): 416–444\. doi:10.1007/s11462-007-0022-8. S2CID 195070026.
* Xiao, Zhiwei (1997), "Anti-Imperialism and Film Censorship During the Nanjing Decade, 1927-1937", in Lu, Sheldon Hsiao-peng (ed.), Transnational Chinese Cinemas: Identity, Nationhood, Gender, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, ISBN 9780824818456
* Zhang, Rui (2008). Cinema of Feng Xiaogang : Commercialization and Censorship in Chinese Cinema After 1989. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 978-9622098862.

## External links

[edit]

* Works related to Regulations on the Administration of Movies at Wikisource
* The dictionary definition of censorship at Wiktionary

* v
* t
* e

Banned films by country

* Australia
* Canada
* Chile
* China
* Germany
* India
* Ireland
* Malaysia
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Singapore
* United Kingdom
* United States

* v
* t
* e

Censorship in China

By industry|

| Book censorship|

* Burning of books and burying of scholars
* List of censored books
* Literary inquisition

|

Film censorship|

* Censorship of displaying blood
* List of banned films

Internet censorship|

* Censorship of Winnie-the-Pooh
* Euphemisms
* Great Firewall
* Great Cannon
* Green Dam Youth Escort
* Golden Shield Project
* Internet real-name system
* Jingwang Weishi
* List of blocked websites
* Google
* Dragonfly
* "Illegal flower tribute"
* Wikimedia projects
* Public Pledge on Self-Discipline for the Chinese Internet Industry
* Restrictions on geographic data

Others|

* Censorship abroad
* Music censorship
* Radio jamming
* Television programme censorship
* Internal media

Related|

* 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre
* 2013 Southern Weekly incident
* "Band in China"
* Censorship in Hong Kong
* Internet
* Books
* Press Censorship
* Cross-Strait relations
* Document Number Nine
* History of Taiwan
* Naming taboo
* "Party media takes the party's last name"
* Political status of Taiwan
* Public opinion guidance
* Public opinion struggle
* Silenced: China's Great Wall of Censorship
* Taiwan
* The Three Ts
* Tiananmen Square
* Tibet

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template