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Asian cinema
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Five films that were banned in China and won awards at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Festival

  • Films are banned in China for mentioning sensitive subjects such as homosexuality, the Tiananmen Square crackdown or Tibet
  • Here are five films that were shunned in China, then took home awards in Taiwan

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A still from The Sent Down Girl, one of five films that were banned in China, but won awards at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards.
Oasis Li

Hong Kong’s Chinese-language film industry has again found itself caught in a political row, jammed between a prestigious awards event and the all-important China market.

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In this year’s turbulent political climate, Hong Kong filmmakers have been warned that attending the annual Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival could jeopardise the screening of their films in China, and to make matters even more complicated, this year the Golden Horse event is scheduled on the same date as China’s Golden Rooster film awards.

State broadcaster CCTV said the ban on the Taiwan event was a reaction to last year’s Golden Horse awards ceremony, when Taiwan-born documentary director Fu Yue spoke of her desire for the island to one day become an independent country.
Ironically, over the years a number of films banned in China for reasons varying from homosexual content to references to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown have gone on to win awards at the prestigious Golden Horse festival.
Chinese director Lou Ye (second right) with (from left) Chinese actors Hu Lingling, Hao Lei and Guo Xiaodong at the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: AFP/Pascal Guyot
Chinese director Lou Ye (second right) with (from left) Chinese actors Hu Lingling, Hao Lei and Guo Xiaodong at the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: AFP/Pascal Guyot
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A number of prominent Hong Kong film companies have already decided to boycott this year’s annual Golden Horse awards ceremony, held every November in Taipei. Media Asia Film, Universe Films, Filmko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures and Mei Ah Entertainment have already announced that none of their films will be entered for this year’s Golden Horse awards and none of their stars will take part in the ceremony.

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