US lawmakers debate bill pressing Hollywood to reject China’s film censorship
- If it becomes law, studios wanting federal funding will have to agree not to alter a film’s content ‘in response to or in anticipation of’ Beijing’s request
- ‘Our film history is part of our national culture, and we can’t let it be watered down or manipulated by communist regimes,’ legislation’s sponsor says
Hollywood’s relationship with China was put under the microscope on Wednesday as US House lawmakers advanced a bill that would prevent studios from receiving federal funding if they don’t promise to ignore Beijing’s censorship requests.
The legislation, called Stopping Communist Regimes from Engaging in Edits Now Act (SCREEN Act), was heatedly debated in the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was approved by a party-line vote of 26-23.
The bill, introduced by Representative Mark Green, Republican of Tennessee, would require Hollywood companies to report to the US State Department films that have been submitted to Beijing for approval for screening in China before accessing funding or support from the department.
The studio must also submit an agreement that they will not alter the film’s content “in response to or in anticipation of” Beijing’s request.
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If the bill passes the full House and Senate and becomes law, the federal government would also be prohibited from assisting studios with film production if the movie is co-produced by a Chinese company, or if the Secretary of State deems that a studio acted in compliance with Beijing’s censorship within a certain time period.