PEN America Calls for Flagging US Films Piggybacked by Chinese Propagandists
Almost every six months, Americans are reminded once again of how communist China influences their popular culture. In Top Gun: Maverick, for example, the flag of the Republic of China on Tom Cruise’s jacket is made to disappear. But James Tager, author of a recent report on China’s cultural power published by the New York-based literary society PEN America, notes that Americans are apt to put behind China’s impact on the US cinema as irritated as they were at first.
In his report Made in Hollywood, Censored by Beijing, Tager points out that Beijing’s censorship works differently from that in the US, where sensitive material is simply cut out at the start of the editing process after the shooting is completed. With Chinese-style censorship, changes are, frustratingly, often not made clear at the outset and take place in the middle of the shooting. For the most part, though, it does not go as far as it did in MGM’s 2012 film Red Dawn, where digital technology had to be employed to change the Chinese villain into a North Korean in post-production.
But Tager adds that over time, writers and producers will start to engage in self-censorship. Seeing its futility, they will refrain from generating ideas, stories, or characters that break the rules. It is not easy to produce and distribute a film in Hollywood without taking into account the foreign market. Given also the plight the Wuhan virus pandemic has left the US in, the Chinese audience is increasingly important to American studios.
With a quota in place for foreign films distributed in China, competition among them is fierce. The last thing a studio wants is a potential mistake that leads to its production’s being kept out of release in China. It is unthinkable nowadays that a major studio would make a film like the 1997 thriller Red Corner, where a businessman, played by Richard Gere, is framed for murder by the Chinese Communist Party—let alone a film about pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong or China’s anti-Uyghur concentration camps. No studio would dare to take such a risk in face of the 1.4 billion Chinese consumers. It would be commercial suicide.
And not only does this shift prevents Chinese consumers from getting in touch with innovative ideas, but it also allows for a dictatorship to piggyback its propaganda onto American films. Take as an example the 2012 film Looper. Abe, the future leader of the killers played by Jeff Daniels, says to a younger killer, “I’m from the future; you should go to China.” The average viewer will not realize that this is propaganda, much less that it is a major victory for the Chinese government in its effort to increase its authority and elevate China’s status.
In view of this, Tager suggests putting a permanent label at the beginning of all films funded and, in turn, censored by China. It will serve as a warning that counteracts the brainwashing effect the film has on the audience—the same way the Motion Picture Association’s (MPA) rating, shown before every film, warns the audience of the film’s adult content and smoking scenes.
Source: Apple Daily #Aug29
#US #China #PENAmerica #Film #Culture #Propaganda #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/3iN5w68
Almost every six months, Americans are reminded once again of how communist China influences their popular culture. In Top Gun: Maverick, for example, the flag of the Republic of China on Tom Cruise’s jacket is made to disappear. But James Tager, author of a recent report on China’s cultural power published by the New York-based literary society PEN America, notes that Americans are apt to put behind China’s impact on the US cinema as irritated as they were at first.
In his report Made in Hollywood, Censored by Beijing, Tager points out that Beijing’s censorship works differently from that in the US, where sensitive material is simply cut out at the start of the editing process after the shooting is completed. With Chinese-style censorship, changes are, frustratingly, often not made clear at the outset and take place in the middle of the shooting. For the most part, though, it does not go as far as it did in MGM’s 2012 film Red Dawn, where digital technology had to be employed to change the Chinese villain into a North Korean in post-production.
But Tager adds that over time, writers and producers will start to engage in self-censorship. Seeing its futility, they will refrain from generating ideas, stories, or characters that break the rules. It is not easy to produce and distribute a film in Hollywood without taking into account the foreign market. Given also the plight the Wuhan virus pandemic has left the US in, the Chinese audience is increasingly important to American studios.
With a quota in place for foreign films distributed in China, competition among them is fierce. The last thing a studio wants is a potential mistake that leads to its production’s being kept out of release in China. It is unthinkable nowadays that a major studio would make a film like the 1997 thriller Red Corner, where a businessman, played by Richard Gere, is framed for murder by the Chinese Communist Party—let alone a film about pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong or China’s anti-Uyghur concentration camps. No studio would dare to take such a risk in face of the 1.4 billion Chinese consumers. It would be commercial suicide.
And not only does this shift prevents Chinese consumers from getting in touch with innovative ideas, but it also allows for a dictatorship to piggyback its propaganda onto American films. Take as an example the 2012 film Looper. Abe, the future leader of the killers played by Jeff Daniels, says to a younger killer, “I’m from the future; you should go to China.” The average viewer will not realize that this is propaganda, much less that it is a major victory for the Chinese government in its effort to increase its authority and elevate China’s status.
In view of this, Tager suggests putting a permanent label at the beginning of all films funded and, in turn, censored by China. It will serve as a warning that counteracts the brainwashing effect the film has on the audience—the same way the Motion Picture Association’s (MPA) rating, shown before every film, warns the audience of the film’s adult content and smoking scenes.
Source: Apple Daily #Aug29
#US #China #PENAmerica #Film #Culture #Propaganda #Diplomacy
https://bit.ly/3iN5w68
Canadian Public Schools Refuse to Cut Ties as Media Exposes Funding for Computers from Confucius Institute
The Confucius Institute in Canada has been revealed to have provided local public schools with undisclosed funding for laptops and other resources. Upon enquiry, a number of higher institutions and school districts in Canada said they were not intending to make any change to their partnership with the institute for the time being. They stressed that the institute’s activities were limited to promoting traditional Chinese culture and language education and that they had not received any benefits from the institute.
According to a report by Canada’s Global and Mail, a number of primary and secondary schools in the Coquitlam School District in Vancouver were offered funding by the Confucius Institute for such resources as laptops on the condition that they provide Mandarin courses. The institute would have to submit evaluations of its reception in the local community to its headquarters in China. The report raised questions as to whether this is still an academic activity.
Source: Apple Daily #Oct23
#Canada #China #ConfuciusInstitute #CI #Education #Culture #Infiltration
https://bit.ly/3jsyiZn
The Confucius Institute in Canada has been revealed to have provided local public schools with undisclosed funding for laptops and other resources. Upon enquiry, a number of higher institutions and school districts in Canada said they were not intending to make any change to their partnership with the institute for the time being. They stressed that the institute’s activities were limited to promoting traditional Chinese culture and language education and that they had not received any benefits from the institute.
According to a report by Canada’s Global and Mail, a number of primary and secondary schools in the Coquitlam School District in Vancouver were offered funding by the Confucius Institute for such resources as laptops on the condition that they provide Mandarin courses. The institute would have to submit evaluations of its reception in the local community to its headquarters in China. The report raised questions as to whether this is still an academic activity.
Source: Apple Daily #Oct23
#Canada #China #ConfuciusInstitute #CI #Education #Culture #Infiltration
https://bit.ly/3jsyiZn
Hanbok or Hanfu? Chinese Dress Up Game Sparks Debate, South Korean Professor Demands Apology from Developer
Shining Nikki, a dress up game by the Chinese developer Papergames, has caused controversy earlier for launching a Korean-style outfit named “Gunyun Chonghua”. The outfit drew criticism from a number of Chinese players, who claimed it was not Korean hanbok but hanfu from the Ming dynasty, while some Korean players insisted that it is hanbok. As the row intensified, the developer closed its newly opened server in Korea while slamming some of its Korean players for having “insulted China” and stepped over the line. The shutdown did not put an end to the quarrel. According to the Yonhap News Agency, Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at South Korea’s Sungshin Women’s University, has written to Papergames in protest of the way it handled the incident and demanded that it apologize to South Korean netizens.
Source: Stand News #Nov26
#SouthKorea #China #Papergames #ShiningNikki #Games #Culture
https://bit.ly/3g5ebk8
Shining Nikki, a dress up game by the Chinese developer Papergames, has caused controversy earlier for launching a Korean-style outfit named “Gunyun Chonghua”. The outfit drew criticism from a number of Chinese players, who claimed it was not Korean hanbok but hanfu from the Ming dynasty, while some Korean players insisted that it is hanbok. As the row intensified, the developer closed its newly opened server in Korea while slamming some of its Korean players for having “insulted China” and stepped over the line. The shutdown did not put an end to the quarrel. According to the Yonhap News Agency, Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at South Korea’s Sungshin Women’s University, has written to Papergames in protest of the way it handled the incident and demanded that it apologize to South Korean netizens.
Source: Stand News #Nov26
#SouthKorea #China #Papergames #ShiningNikki #Games #Culture
https://bit.ly/3g5ebk8
South Korea plans to build a “Chinese Cultural City”, more than 600,000 people jointly signed against, denounce China’s stealing of kimchi and other culture
Some reports stated that South Korea Gangwon do plans a project of building “Chinese Cultural City”, which caused local people to oppose. According to Korea Blue House’s petition website, there were already more than 601,000 people signed as of Monday morning (19April) in Hong Kong time, which claimed the local government revokes that project. Since the petition number is more than 200,000, the government needs to response.
According to Korea English media The Korea Herald, Gangwon do and Chinese People signed a business agreement in 2019. That is, to build a Chinatown in Chuncheon Si and Hongcheon Si, the scale will be 10 times of the Incheon’s. That project is being stated for using revitalizing domestic tourism.
The organiser of the petition judged why it must build a small China inside Korea and stated that the publics do not understand why people need to experience Chinese culture on their land, they strongly oppose the project. The organiser also stated, they opposed Gangwon do build hotels for Chinese tourists, and said the site is the largest historical site in the world, and many cultural relics have been excavated. He said, China tries to steal kimchi, hanbok and other culture which are unique to Korea, they should against China.
Source: Stand News #Apr19
https://bit.ly/3dBx1Qg
#Korea #Culture #China #Chinatown #Petition #Kimchi #Hanbok
Some reports stated that South Korea Gangwon do plans a project of building “Chinese Cultural City”, which caused local people to oppose. According to Korea Blue House’s petition website, there were already more than 601,000 people signed as of Monday morning (19April) in Hong Kong time, which claimed the local government revokes that project. Since the petition number is more than 200,000, the government needs to response.
According to Korea English media The Korea Herald, Gangwon do and Chinese People signed a business agreement in 2019. That is, to build a Chinatown in Chuncheon Si and Hongcheon Si, the scale will be 10 times of the Incheon’s. That project is being stated for using revitalizing domestic tourism.
The organiser of the petition judged why it must build a small China inside Korea and stated that the publics do not understand why people need to experience Chinese culture on their land, they strongly oppose the project. The organiser also stated, they opposed Gangwon do build hotels for Chinese tourists, and said the site is the largest historical site in the world, and many cultural relics have been excavated. He said, China tries to steal kimchi, hanbok and other culture which are unique to Korea, they should against China.
Source: Stand News #Apr19
https://bit.ly/3dBx1Qg
#Korea #Culture #China #Chinatown #Petition #Kimchi #Hanbok
立場新聞 Stand News
韓國擬建「中國文化城」 逾 60 萬人聯署反對 斥中國偷取泡菜等文化 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞
有報道指韓國江原道擬建設「中國文化城」項目,引起當地市民反對。韓國青瓦台請願網站顯示,截至香港時間周一(19 ...
#Solidarity #Culture
South Korean Netizens Encourage Hongkongers For "A Better Tomorrow" in the Fight For Freedom
Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29594
South Korean Netizens Encourage Hongkongers For "A Better Tomorrow" in the Fight For Freedom
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29594
#Solidarity #Culture
South Korean Netizens Encourage Hongkongers For "A Better Tomorrow" in the Fight For Freedom
On June 3, 2016, the Korean Pops Orchestra performed the theme song of a 1987-Hong Kong movie A Better Tomorrow II (英雄本色2) at Gyeonggi Arts Center Grand Theater in South Korea.
The theme song was entitled "Running Toward the Days of Future" (奔向未來日子) and was composed by Hong Kong iconic musician Joseph Koo (顧嘉煇).
Together with the movie directed by John Woo, the song has been very popular in South Korea during the 1980s and the 1990s.
In a comment published in January 2021, a netizen explained the sentiment shared by the South Korean population towards this Hong Kong movie:
"Probably, Hongkonger do not understand the reason for popularity of this title song. All most all Korean was depressed due to the military junta in the late 1980 and early 1990. The miserable situation could be found from movies, Tax Driver, 1987 etc.
The counterpart of heroes, Leslie Cheung, Donald Chow Aman Chow and Ti Lung, really really touched the heart of Korean - we can change the life. Now, we are likely to say that... you can change your world as we did."
Other netizens concurred and left words of support for Hongkongers to fight for democracy and freedom in today's context.
Watch the orchestra's performance here:
https://youtu.be/mJfgb7ySgeo
Source: Youtube
#SouthKorea #GlobalSupport #HongKongCinema #CantoPop #ABetterTomorrow #KoreanPopsOrchestra
South Korean Netizens Encourage Hongkongers For "A Better Tomorrow" in the Fight For Freedom
On June 3, 2016, the Korean Pops Orchestra performed the theme song of a 1987-Hong Kong movie A Better Tomorrow II (英雄本色2) at Gyeonggi Arts Center Grand Theater in South Korea.
The theme song was entitled "Running Toward the Days of Future" (奔向未來日子) and was composed by Hong Kong iconic musician Joseph Koo (顧嘉煇).
Together with the movie directed by John Woo, the song has been very popular in South Korea during the 1980s and the 1990s.
In a comment published in January 2021, a netizen explained the sentiment shared by the South Korean population towards this Hong Kong movie:
"Probably, Hongkonger do not understand the reason for popularity of this title song. All most all Korean was depressed due to the military junta in the late 1980 and early 1990. The miserable situation could be found from movies, Tax Driver, 1987 etc.
The counterpart of heroes, Leslie Cheung, Donald Chow Aman Chow and Ti Lung, really really touched the heart of Korean - we can change the life. Now, we are likely to say that... you can change your world as we did."
Other netizens concurred and left words of support for Hongkongers to fight for democracy and freedom in today's context.
Watch the orchestra's performance here:
https://youtu.be/mJfgb7ySgeo
Source: Youtube
#SouthKorea #GlobalSupport #HongKongCinema #CantoPop #ABetterTomorrow #KoreanPopsOrchestra
YouTube
'A Better Tomorrow ll' ('영웅본색2' 주제가) by KOREAN POPS ORCHESTRA(코리안팝스오케스트라)
본 곡 편곡에 대한 저작권은 코리안팝스에 있습니다.
무단 도용 및 배포를 금지합니다.
Joseph Koo : A Better Tomorrow Ⅱ Main Theme "Will Rush Toward Future Day"
顧嘉煇 : 英雄本色2 - "奔向未來日子"
Artistic Director: Gina Kim
Arranged and Performed by KOREAN POPS ORCHESTRA
2016.06.03. Gyeonggi Arts Center…
무단 도용 및 배포를 금지합니다.
Joseph Koo : A Better Tomorrow Ⅱ Main Theme "Will Rush Toward Future Day"
顧嘉煇 : 英雄本色2 - "奔向未來日子"
Artistic Director: Gina Kim
Arranged and Performed by KOREAN POPS ORCHESTRA
2016.06.03. Gyeonggi Arts Center…
#FirstHand #Aug1 #Culture
In a muffled Hong Kong, an exhibition staged to appreciate cultural difference
Initiated by a community group that promotes equality in social participation, #HongKongUnison and a former district councilor, #LeslieChan Ka-long, a creative writing and photography exhibition, “be/long” was launched on August 1 and will last until August 22 in Chungking Mansions.
The exhibition explores culinary traditions among minority groups in Hong Kong, through which it provides a platform for Hongkongers to appreciate cultural differences with an aim towards setting up an inclusive society that benefits collaboration across racial groups.
It was reportedly that the exhibition is staged in response to issues arising from discrimination against minority during the 4th wave of COVID19 in Hong Kong. Despite variations in upbringings, food culture, and traditions, people in Hong Kong are tied together through their identity, aspiration and sense of belonging.
#Hongkongers #Identity
In a muffled Hong Kong, an exhibition staged to appreciate cultural difference
Initiated by a community group that promotes equality in social participation, #HongKongUnison and a former district councilor, #LeslieChan Ka-long, a creative writing and photography exhibition, “be/long” was launched on August 1 and will last until August 22 in Chungking Mansions.
The exhibition explores culinary traditions among minority groups in Hong Kong, through which it provides a platform for Hongkongers to appreciate cultural differences with an aim towards setting up an inclusive society that benefits collaboration across racial groups.
It was reportedly that the exhibition is staged in response to issues arising from discrimination against minority during the 4th wave of COVID19 in Hong Kong. Despite variations in upbringings, food culture, and traditions, people in Hong Kong are tied together through their identity, aspiration and sense of belonging.
#Hongkongers #Identity
#Culture #Solidarity #Cantopop
Concert Tickets sold out in 2 minutes, Hong Kong pro-democracy singer #DeniseHO: every chance can be the last chance
Source: Stand News #Aug13
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Concert Tickets sold out in 2 minutes, Hong Kong pro-democracy singer #DeniseHO: every chance can be the last chance
Source: Stand News #Aug13
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#Culture #Solidarity #Cantopop
Concert Tickets sold out in 2 minutes, Hong Kong pro-democracy singer #DeniseHO: every chance can be the last chance
Denise HO Wan Si, a Hong Kong popular pro-democracy singer, will have her 7-show concert in September at the Hong Kong Art Centre.
A total of 2,000 tickets were sold out within 2 minutes on 23 August, 2021. HO thanked all her fans in Facebook, "I will honor my soul to give a hug to each and every of you".
On the next day of HO's announcing her concert earlier, HO's closed fellow from the Hong Kong Shield Anthony WONG Yiu Ming, another popular pro-democracy singer, had been arrested for offence of "misconduct in election". Some fans of HO had commented on her social media pages asking her to "leave". HO thus shared her thought, "no one will know what's happening in the next second; in this messy age, we should be firm with ourself and our belief, don't be influenced by tons of things pass-by."
#hongkong #howansi #AnthonyWong #Conscience #hongkongshield #concert #belief
Source: Stand News #Aug13
https://bit.ly/37OadsJ
Concert Tickets sold out in 2 minutes, Hong Kong pro-democracy singer #DeniseHO: every chance can be the last chance
Denise HO Wan Si, a Hong Kong popular pro-democracy singer, will have her 7-show concert in September at the Hong Kong Art Centre.
A total of 2,000 tickets were sold out within 2 minutes on 23 August, 2021. HO thanked all her fans in Facebook, "I will honor my soul to give a hug to each and every of you".
On the next day of HO's announcing her concert earlier, HO's closed fellow from the Hong Kong Shield Anthony WONG Yiu Ming, another popular pro-democracy singer, had been arrested for offence of "misconduct in election". Some fans of HO had commented on her social media pages asking her to "leave". HO thus shared her thought, "no one will know what's happening in the next second; in this messy age, we should be firm with ourself and our belief, don't be influenced by tons of things pass-by."
#hongkong #howansi #AnthonyWong #Conscience #hongkongshield #concert #belief
Source: Stand News #Aug13
https://bit.ly/37OadsJ
立場新聞 Stand News
何韻詩九月壽臣演唱會 開售兩分鐘沽清 「提醒自己每次都當最後一次」 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞
歌手何韻詩將於 9 月在香港藝術中心壽臣劇院舉行 7 場演唱會,提供大約 2,000 張門票。門票今日(8 月...
#Culture #Conscience
Hong Kong Filmmaker #KiwiChow: Prepared to face sanctions & imprisonment
Source: Stand News; #Aug7
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Hong Kong Filmmaker #KiwiChow: Prepared to face sanctions & imprisonment
Source: Stand News; #Aug7
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#Culture #Conscience
Hong Kong Filmmaker #KiwiChow: Prepared to face sanctions & imprisonment
Screened on the penultimate day of the 74th #Cannes Film Festival in mid-July 2021 is the Hong Kong protest documentary, #RevolutionOfOurTimes, which captured the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in 2019, following the Government’s attempt to promulgate the extradition law.
Knowing that he could potentially be exposed to sanction under the territory’s National Security Law, director Kiwi Chow is the only name credited on the documentary, as his financiers and technical collaborators have all chosen to remain anonymous.
Chow was director of many popular Hong Kong films such like “Ten Year” (the short "Self- Immolator”) and “Beyond the Dream”. He acknowledged that only "Revolution of our Times" has given him the biggest strain.
Before the film's premiere, he was asked to remain anonymous. He also received threatening phone calls telling him to leave Hong Kong immediately. But Kiwi Chow chose to stay and carry on his life in Hong Kong as usual.
Chow is even willing to be interviewed by media to talk about freedom, talk about film and his belief.
Chow anticipated that the documentary will not be allowed to be shown in Hong Kong. He even prepared to face imprisonment. Chow said, “ I am innocent under the long standing framework of Basic Law, not to mention that the documentary was filmed and completed before the National Security Law was implemented.”
Chow said, if he is ever being arrested. He is certainly a political prisoner. “I think political prisoner is a self-invited humiliation to a regime.”
#PoliticalSuppression #Unafraid #Film #HongKongCinema
Source: Stand News; #Aug7
https://www.thestandnews.com/media/video/images/%E5%8B%87%E6%B0%A3%E4%B8%8D%E6%BB%85-%E5%91%A8%E5%86%A0%E5%A8%81
Hong Kong Filmmaker #KiwiChow: Prepared to face sanctions & imprisonment
Screened on the penultimate day of the 74th #Cannes Film Festival in mid-July 2021 is the Hong Kong protest documentary, #RevolutionOfOurTimes, which captured the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in 2019, following the Government’s attempt to promulgate the extradition law.
Knowing that he could potentially be exposed to sanction under the territory’s National Security Law, director Kiwi Chow is the only name credited on the documentary, as his financiers and technical collaborators have all chosen to remain anonymous.
Chow was director of many popular Hong Kong films such like “Ten Year” (the short "Self- Immolator”) and “Beyond the Dream”. He acknowledged that only "Revolution of our Times" has given him the biggest strain.
Before the film's premiere, he was asked to remain anonymous. He also received threatening phone calls telling him to leave Hong Kong immediately. But Kiwi Chow chose to stay and carry on his life in Hong Kong as usual.
Chow is even willing to be interviewed by media to talk about freedom, talk about film and his belief.
Chow anticipated that the documentary will not be allowed to be shown in Hong Kong. He even prepared to face imprisonment. Chow said, “ I am innocent under the long standing framework of Basic Law, not to mention that the documentary was filmed and completed before the National Security Law was implemented.”
Chow said, if he is ever being arrested. He is certainly a political prisoner. “I think political prisoner is a self-invited humiliation to a regime.”
#PoliticalSuppression #Unafraid #Film #HongKongCinema
Source: Stand News; #Aug7
https://www.thestandnews.com/media/video/images/%E5%8B%87%E6%B0%A3%E4%B8%8D%E6%BB%85-%E5%91%A8%E5%86%A0%E5%A8%81