Summer Palace (film)

Date: 2006

Region: Russia and Central Asia

Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion

Medium: Film Video


Artist: Lou Ye, director of Summer Palace; Fang Li, producer of Summer Palace

Confronting Bodies: Censorship Committee of the Chinese Film Bureau

Date of Action: May, 2006

Location: China

Description of Artwork: The film, Summer Palace, portrays the relationship between two Chinese students during the political events occuring in 1989.

The Incident: Before a Chinese movie can be screened outside of China, the movie must be approved by the censorship committee of the Film Bureau. Summer Palace never received the necessary approval before it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Results of Incident: As a result of the screening of the film, about fifty Chinese mediapersons left the festival. The film was placed under a de facto ban in Mainland China, and its filmmakers officially censured.

Source: Times Online, www.timesonline.co.uk; Wikipedia