Friday, July 31, 2009

The Chinese farce continues

While more Chinese film-makers are reportedly withdrawing their films from MIFF, I can't for a moment believe that there is not undue pressure being placed on them by their government to do so.

The Age reports that "Three more Chinese films pulled from Melbourne festival".

8 comments:

Toby said...

China is still living in the 1950s. They have to get over the fact that Chairman Mao is long dead. Why don't they just shut up shop and stop any communication with the west or any other country and just close its doors.

Paul Martin said...

Yes, Toby, the world has moved on and China doesn't seem to awoken to this fact. The bully-boy mentality can get it only so far. If it wants to engage with the world, it has to change its mindset.

Lynden Barber said...

Hard to believbe the hacking of MIFF's website didn't involve China's official security services...

Lynden Barber said...

As for "the world has moved on", what about what's being going on in Iran over the last 2 months? Seems more like moving backwards...

Toby said...

Lynden, Iran has been backward for hundreds of years. I think what is happening in Iran is great. The people are rising against the totalitarian and oppressive regime. They have named their protest after the tragic murder of the young woman, Neda, calling it Nothing Except Democracy Acceptable. Any change in ISlamic nations must come Muslims themselves and not from outsiders and I think it's terrific.

sublimation of the wicked said...

is the uighur film about a terrorist? if the chinese consider her a terrorist and the film is glorifying or at least defending her actions, maybe they have a reason? if there was a documentary about al qaeda and it was glorifying or defending the actions of one of its members, would miff be so quick to show it?

Toby said...

I have seen the documentary THE 10 CONDITIONS OF LOVE and she is no terrorist. The Chinese took over East Turkestan in the 1950s promising plenty but did very little and basically took over and ruined her country. She just wants basic human rights and independence from an oppressive regime. Chairman MAo basically killed the leaders of East Turkestan in a suspicious plane crash in 1949. They are Muslim so I guess it is easy to label them terrorists after Al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah but they are anything but. They are like the Tibetans who want their independence and not under the thumb of the Chinese oppressive government.

Paul Martin said...

My basic understanding of the Uighurs from a Turkish friend is that they basically want their independence, their own culture and language, which was usurped by the Chinese. The Uighurs have accepted support from some who may be considered terrorists, but are not terrorists themselves.

As for Al Qu'aeda, my understanding is that this term was invented by the CIA and has no factual existence. The name was given in order to create a facade of an enemy, a nebulous, demonic organisation that we have to give a name to in order to combat it.

This is the nature of fascist regimes, which Goebbels famously commented on. It always has been, always will be. True in all times and places. China, Bush's America: all fascists.