41
ник
02016
GPS 130
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 280516Z AUG 81
CONFIDENTIAL
шо
28.8
餐
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 780 OF 28 AUGUST
INFO HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON,
PEKING.
TOP COPY
MYTELNO 763: TAIWAN FILMS.
THE FILM 'IF I WERE GENUINE WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CENSOR ON 24 AUGUST. ALTHOUGH AN EFFECTIVE ATTACK ON CORRUPTION AND ABUSE OF PRIVILEGE IN CHINA, IT WAS CLEARLY DESIGNED AS KMT PROPAGANDA AND WAS REFUSED A LICENCE.
2. THE PRO-KMT PRESS HAS BEEN PREDICTABLY CRITICAL OF THIS DECISION AND THE REFUSAL TO ALLOW GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED PREMISES TO BE USED FOR THE 'TAIBEI CINEMA 81' FESTIVAL. THE COMMUNIST DA GONG BAO REPORTED THE DECISION TO REFUSE A LICENCE BRIEFLY ON AN INSIDE PAGE. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PRESS HAS ALSO RECORDED THE DECISION BUT WITHOUT COMMENT.
3. ACCORDING TO THE RIGHT-WING PRESS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FILM PLANS TO COME TO HONG KONG TO APPEAL AGAINST THE CENSOR' DECISION. IF A PROPER APPLICATION FOR AN APPEAL IS LODGED THIS WILL NOT
BE HEARD UNTIL NOVEMBER. THE APPEALS BOARD IS UNLIKELY TO OVERTURN THE ORIGINAL DECISION.
THIS TELEGRAM
CATER
LIMITED
HKrGD
FED
MRIDONALD
WAS NOT ADVANCED
COPIES TO
HKGO LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL