HONG KONG: Hong Kong cinemas refused to show Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, a British slasher film scheduled for release this week, its distributor said on Tuesday.
VII Pillars Entertainment didn’t know why the movie wasn’t released on March 23 in 32 city theatres.
“Disappointed, we’re tearing our hair. It’s inconceivable that theatres cancelled the show after all preparations “Ray Fong, VII Pillars spokeswoman.
A.A. Milne’s bumbling bear has been censored in China over memes comparing him to President Xi Jinping.
When Xi visited the US and met Barack Obama in 2013, online critics compared them to Pooh and Tigger.
Some have employed Pooh to express disapproval.
The applicant received a certificate of approval from the OFNAA, Reuters said.
A spokeswoman said OFNAA would not comment on Hong Kong cinemas’ commercial decisions to exhibit specific films with certificates of authorisation.
The cinemas declined to comment.
VII Pillars noted the film’s low budget “sold approximately 200 regions in 6 months. A remarkable feat in a short time “.
Moviematic cancelled a Tuesday night screening due to technical issues.
While, Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield told Reuters “something mysterious” happened.
“The theatres all decided to screen it overnight. No coincidence, “Frake-Waterfield said.
“They claim technical reasons, but there is no technical reason,” he stated. “About 4,000 theatres have screened the film. Only these 30+ Hong Kong screens have difficulties.”
Moreover, After a year of pro-democracy rallies in Hong Kong, China passed a national security law in 2020 to stifle dissent.
While, In 2021, the former British colony banned films that “endorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national security”.
Moreover, Last year, authorities rejected two films from Hong Kong’s international film festival.
The cancellation comes as Hong Kong holds Art Basel, a contemporary art fair.
