China's film watchdog has been called on to clarify its basis for censorships. (Photo : SCMP)
A top film industry figure in Beijing strongly suggested that there be clear and legal rules regarding the censorship of movies rather than using individual opinions of government officials as basis for the restrictions.
Wang Xingdong, one of Beijing government's advisers and a leading film industry figure, decided to call out to the country's entertainment industry censorship bureau to be crystal clear about their basis on regulating films shown in the country, especially since Hollywood had been trying to enter the Chinese market.
"The fate of a film was even decided by the likes and dislikes of individual government officials. Some films which have passed the censorship were interfered with because of a certain cadre's opinion, or were even cancelled outright," Wang explained in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.
Being someone who wrote a propaganda epic known as "Founding of a Great Republic," Wang believed that the unclear basis of the censorships makes it difficult for filmmakers like him to determine which would pass the censors' taste and which ones won't.
He also expressed his opinion about the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television's (SAPPRFT) expansion plans and wants the administration to decentralize local movies' censorship process, thereby allowing their local counterparts to examine the film to streamline its approval.
Wang, who was also the vice-chairman of China Directors' Guild, made his opinion known in the sidelines of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which was attended by businessmen, cultural figures and scientists for a consultation session before the actual National People's Congress (NPC) scheduled to be held on Thursday, March 5, 2015.
