CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 4048
OF 080945Z DECEMBER 89
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
HICD 306 TOP COPY
Q DIST?
(60)
100771
MDHIAN 8276
YOUR TELNO 2445: FILM CENSORSHIP:
MAINLAND CHINA 1989
SINCE RECEIVING THE AGREEMENT IN TUR (FOR WHICH WE WERE GRATEFUL)
WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE FILM AGAIN VERY CAREFULLY IN THE LIGHT OF CIRCUMSTANCES OF WHICH WE WERE NOT FULLY AWARE WHEN MAKING OUR RECOMMENDATION. THE FILM IS TO BE SCREENED AT THE ARTS CENTRE BEFORE TWO VERY SMALL AUDIENCES. PROGRAMMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED AND TICKETS SOLD. THE ARTS CENTRE STAFF ARE MORE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED THAN COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTORS AND THEREFORE
MORE LIKELY TO MAKE A CONSIDERABLE FUSS. THE FILM HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN MUCH PUBLICITY. WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE IMPACT OF
BANNING IT WOULD CAUSE MORE TROUBLE THAN IT IS WORTH.
2. HOWEVER OUR POLITICAL JUDGEMENT OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE
CHINESE WOULD FIND PARTS OF THE FILM OFFENSIVE IS UNCHANGED. WE
HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED TO ALLOW SCREENING OF THE FILM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRST PART, WHICH IS THE MOST CONTENTIOUS AND POLITICALLY CHARGED OF ITS FIVE SECTIONS. THIS WILL LEAVE THE
SECOND SECTION, ON PEKING UNIVERSITY, INTACT. IT INCLUDES SOME STRONG CRITICAL LANGUAGE BUT WE THINK WE CAN LIVE WITH THAT. THE
REMAINING THREE SECTIONS ARE INNOCUOUS DOCUMENTARY OF ASPECTS OF
LIFE IN CHINA.
3. THE ARTS CENTRE HAVE ACCEPTED OUR DECISION AND AGREED TO SCREEN
THE FILM MINUS THE FIRST PART. WE THINK THIS WILL DRAW THE STING
FROM THE CHINESE POINT OF VIEW. IF THE ARTS CENTRE ARE NOT DELIBERATELY GOING TO MAKE A FIGHT OF IT, AS THEIR AGREEMENT SUGGESTS, HOPEFULLY WE MAY GET AWAY WITHOUT TOO MUCH ADVERSE COMMENT: THOUGH THERE WILL BE SOME.
4. WE WILL BE DEPLOYING A LINE WITH THE PRESS THAT EMPHASISES THE
TAIWANESE SOURCE OF THE FILM AND THE AGGRESSIVELY POLITICAL NATURE
OF THE CENSORED SECTION.
WILSON
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CONFIDENTIAL
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