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Hollywood's 'Geisha' a delicate issue for China's censors
2006-01-17
American movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" still: Zhang Ziyi |
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Hollywood's "Memoirs of a Geisha" has China censors stumped, with officials and state press saying the film may be banned due to concerns it could rouse anti-Japanese sentiments.Several state newspapers reported that the movie, directed by Rob Marshall and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, was scheduled for general release on February 19 but had now been scrapped. The main issue of concern is that two leading actresses who play geishas are Chinese, which could evoke memories of Japanese wartime aggression towards mainland women. Reports in the Oriental Morning Post and Shanghai Youth Daily said that China's strict state censors initially approved the film but then changed their minds fearing they would attract a barrage of public criticism. Mao Yu, director of the Propaganda and Publishing Section of the Film Bureau, told AFP the film was still under consideration for showing in China theatres. "Its approval has yet to be decided," said Mao on Tuesday. Mao admitted, however, that the film was posing "very complex" problems. "I can't tell you anything more because it is just too sensitive," Mao said. 'Memoirs of a Geisha' tells the story of a girl from a poor fishing village who is sold to a geisha house and goes on to romance a rich businessman. It is based on Arthur Golden's 1997 novel, which sold more than four million copies in English and was translated into 32 languages. The book and the film have come under fire in Japan, where many people resent equating high-end geishas -- who practice a centuries-old tradition of entertaining men -- with prostitutes. Now it has now come under equally fierce criticism in China. At a time when Japan and China are increasingly bitter rivals, the title geisha character, Sayuri, and her rival, Hatsumomo, are played by major Chinese stars Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li -- both from China. Malaysia's Michelle Yeoh also stars. The China Film Group Corporation, the domestic importer and distributor, refused to comment on Tuesday. Zhang Miao, with Columbia Pictures China's marketing department, reportedly said they were nervously awaiting the outcome "All we can do is to keep a low-profile," Zhang was quoted as saying by the Oriental Morning Post. Bur regardless of whether the film is officially approved, Chinese audiences will undoubtedly be able to watch it as pirated DVD copies are already widely available. AFP
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