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HK filmmakers tone down for mainland

Ghosts, nudity, homosexuality and extramarital affairs may be cut from the scripts of local films as movie producers sacrifice Hong Kong audiences to get into the mainland market.

One of the first victims of film industry self-censorship is the sequel to vampire action movie Twins Effect. According to the film's writer and producer, Bey Logan, the sequel will not have any vampires because mainland officials do not like superstition.

'Twins Effect 2 will become a period film and will not focus on vampires. Mainland officials had an issue with the vampire theme in part one,' he said.

The producers made the decision even though international distributors have snatched up the rights to show the original summer blockbuster across the world.

Derek Yee Tung-shing, chairman of the Hong Kong Directors' Guild, said moviemakers had begun to  exercise  a degree of self-censorship on many subjects in the past year. When the free-trade agreement between Hong Kong and the mainland comes into effect next year, things are expected to get worse.

'Eighty per cent of films nowadays are made with hopes of showing them in mainland cinemas. As a result, moviemakers are censoring themselves. We now need to consider the political messages in films,' he said.

'Creative development is starting to regress and new people are refusing to enter the industry.'

In the past, only a few Hong Kong movies, which were classified as foreign films, could be shown in the mainland each year.

Under Cepa, however, Chinese-language movies produced by Hong Kong companies can be imported for distribution on the mainland and exempted from the mainland's quota.  In addition, co-productions are treated as mainland movies.

Yee said  local filmmakers were willing to censor themselves so their films could pass the mainland's strict regulations.  'You have to give up some things [to survive]. Ghost stories, adult films, films where the bad guy wins in the end and love stories about extramarital affairs or homosexuals are usually rejected,' he said.

Last year, Media Asia was forced to create a new ending for Infernal Affairs after mainland censors banned the Hong Kong version because of its 'unethical' ending - where the antagonist triumphs.

Logan said: 'People who break the law either have to drop dead or be arrested in the end' before the film is  acceptable to mainland authorities.

Abe Kwong Man-wai, who carved a name for himself by writing and directing horror movies such as Visible Secret, July 13th, 24-Hour Ghost Story, and Thou Shalt Not Swear, said producers and investors were also demanding the use of mainland actors and themes. 'Producers interfere in the creative process to tailor the film to mainland tastes,' he said. 'They ask that certain actors be used or to change the story to appeal to mainland audiences. This is the biggest obstacle to creativity.'

However, film critics say there is no need to worry about the threat to Hong Kong movies from mainland tastes.

Critic Zhang Ju said investors would still value the opinion of local audiences.

'I'm sure they won't make films that they think have no market in Hong Kong,' he said.

Jason Lam Kee-to, film critic and screen writer, said: 'It's sad that sensitive issues will be avoided, but it is inevitable.

'But being forced to use mainland actors gives directors a chance to make something with a much bigger appeal.'

OUT OF THE FRAME

Hong Kong classics that would not have passed mainland censors:

In the Mood for Love - deals with an extramarital affair between characters played by Maggie Cheung Man-yuk and Tony Leung Chiu-wai

Happy Together - revolves around a homosexual relationship between Tony Leung's and Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing's characters

A Better Tomorrow - one of Chow Yun-fat's triad action films would be considered too violent

The Eye and Three - horror classics featuring ghosts

Movies that have fallen foul fo the censors:

Infernal Affairs - needed a new ending because the HK version - where the bay guy triumphs - was deemed 'unethical'

Durian Durian - was banned because it portrayed a young mainland woman who worked as a prostitute in Hong Kong



HK filmmakers censor sex and ghosts for the mainland