Beijing Queer film festival cancelled after harassment from authorities
www.theguardian.com
Forums for discussion of feminist and LGBTQ+ views face growing intolerance from Chinese state, say experts

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/61143788

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Chinese Police had increased pressure on the festival through repeated phone calls in recent weeks, it is understood.

[…]

The Chinese authorities have grown increasingly intolerant of open discussion of feminist or LGBTQ+ issues. Film festivals in particular attract particular scrutiny because they provide an opportunity to platform narratives that sit outside the Communist party’s worldview.

Beijing Independent film festival, China’s most prominent independent film festival, was closed down in 2014 after the authorities detained the founders and shut off the electricity supply to the venue. Last year, an independent Chinese film festival that was due to be held in New York was cancelled after harassment from the Chinese authorities, an incident which raised concern about transnational repression.

[…]

Hongwei Bao, a professor of Chinese studies at the University of St Andrews who focuses on LGBT issues, said that the festival was “a beacon for LGBT resilience” in China.

“The shutdown of the Love Queer Cinema Week has a chilling affect on the Chinese queer community,” Bao said.

In June this year, screenings of films with LGBTQ+ themes that were scheduled to be held in Beijing during Pride month at the Institut Français, a French cultural centre, were cancelled because of police harassment.

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Despite the increased pressure, Beijing Queer film festival remains a popular event. Several international film-makers whose work had been selected for the festival had travelled to China to participate. Last year, the festival received 200 volunteer applications, four times the number received in 2024.

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  • Jax@sh.itjust.works
    144·
    13 hours ago

    ML and hexbear won’t get caught discussing topics like this because they know how hypocritical it makes them look

    • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
      44·
      11 hours ago

      I mean I post on both those fairly regularly and am a lot closer to that political ideology than I am to a server like .world. I don’t really see how it’s hypocritical?

      I don’t think there are actually many people who would claim that China is a perfect society in every perceivable way. I think most just tend to compare the same issue with prominent Western countries, and in contrast… It’s hard to argue with a lot of the times.

      • Jax@sh.itjust.works
        73·
        10 hours ago

        You must not read comments too much if you’ve totally missed all the posts discussing trans rights, or lack thereof, in the U.S. while being painfully silent on posts like this.

        I mean shit, just a few weeks ago I was literally met with whataboutism on a post about a woman being executed for blasphemy in Iran.

        But what about the live execution?

        Says the .mler.

        I don’t have the patience to go through each and every individual instance of hypocrisy coming out of .ml or hexbear. Feel free to continue posting there.

        • TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today
          37·
          9 hours ago

          You must not read comments too much if you’ve totally missed all the posts discussing trans rights, or lack thereof, in the U.S. while being painfully silent on posts like this.

          In my experience most people on hex don’t post on .world?

          Plus… I am actively discussing this as someone who shares a lot of the same sentiment. You aren’t bringing anything to the current discussion, you’re just attacking a straw man.

          I was literally met with whataboutism on a post about a woman being executed for blasphemy in Iran.

          And? You’re currently their logical fallacy to justify your own logical fallacy.

          don’t have the patience to go through each and every individual instance of hypocrisy coming out of .ml or hexbear.

          I didn’t ask you too? I was giving you an opportunity to have a conversation about the topic you claimed no one would dare talk about out of fear of hypocrisy…you chose to complain about it instead?

          • Jax@sh.itjust.works
            62·
            8 hours ago

            Yeah this level of willfull ignorance is about what I’d expect from someone who frequents .ml and hexbear communities.