China is known for placing restrictions in pretty much every field and even cinema doesn’t escape. Recently though, it has shown trends of being a little more lenient and Indian films which released their did make merry. Films like Bahubali and Dangal have been hugely popular in China. But then a little known film “Looking for Rohmer” is noticed for a completely different reason- Its theme. It is apparently the first Chinese film that discusses ‘homosexuality’ theme .
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Looking for Rohmer is adapted from a novel and is a co-production between China and France. The film was shot in Provence, Paris, Beijing and Tibet. It is a simple sstory about the love and friendship between two men.
The film has not been received well though. It just went over $600000 and Douban, china’s popular movie review platform gave it a 4.5 out of 10. But the real success of this film is not about the box office success it generated but that it showed the maturity to handle a theme that is hushed in China. Looking For Rohmer is widely regarded as China’s first bold move in discussing themes like homosexuality.
The film has already battled some Censorship issues. The film was submitted to China’s State Administration for Radio Film and Television for examination, an organisation that is not popular in China because they seemingly ban interesting movies with silly suggestions for revisions. Topics like homosexuality seldom passes through SARFT. Whether Looking For Rohmer is a watchable movie or not, we welcome the boldness it has shown and the wind of change in China.
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