Beijing French Cultural Center Cancels Two Film Screenings After Police Visits
Chinese police visited the Institut français in Beijing and demanded identification checks of attendees, leading the center to cancel scheduled screenings of two French films depicting same-sex relationships.
Le MondeChinese police officers entered the Institut français in Beijing and demanded to check identification cards of Chinese attendees, prompting the center to cancel two film screenings scheduled for early June. The screenings of Enzo and Eat the Night were set for June 6 and June 7, with additional dates planned throughout the month. Both films depict romantic relationships or same-sex attraction.
Officers first made phone calls and then arrived in person on Saturday. They referenced the films and asked to view them; when the center refused, it canceled the events. The phrase "Pride Month" on a brochure drew authorities' attention, according to sources familiar with the events.
A reciprocal agreement between France and China guarantees programming freedom inside cultural institutes. The visits occurred despite that agreement.
