China tries to bar Uighur film in Australia

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

CANBERRA (Reuters) - China's government, entangled in a row with Australia over alleged commercial spying, has stirred more controversy by demanding a documentary about restive ethnic Uighurs be dropped from Australia's largest film festival.

Chinese consular staff contacted organizers of the Melbourne International Film Festival urging them to dump a film about exiled Uighur businesswoman Rebiya Kadeer, blamed by Beijing for instigating this month's ethnic riots in Xinjiang.

China's consulate in Melbourne phoned last week to insist the documentary "The 10 Conditions of Love" be withdrawn ahead of its August 8 premiere and demanding justification for its inclusion, festival director Richard Moore said on Wednesday.

"No-one reacts well to strident approaches, or to the appearance of being bullied. I don't think it's a positive way of behaving," Moore told Reuters.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSTRE56E0SD20090715

[tomm2thumbs]

1. drop the film or we'll drop more lead in your paint

or words to that effect

[JonQ]

2. I don't think they understand that other countries have free speech

you can censor your own media, but not others.