China censors ban 'Beijing' from Berlin fest

February 02, 2007 China's censors have banned "Lost in Beijing," by emerging female director Li Yu, from competing in this month's Berlin International Film Festival, the film's producer said Thursday. Fang said he was called to a meeting at the Film Bureau in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon and handed a written ban that said, "According to current regulations, your film needs further modifications and therefore is not allowed to go for the 57th Berlinale." A source near the festival confirmed that the film in its current form had been rejected by the Chinese government, adding that the option of making further cuts remained a possibility.

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