Hong Kong Passes New Film Censorship Law
Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a new law banning films deemed to violate China’s national security interests, the latest blow to freedom of expression in the territory. The film censorship law was approved in the opposition-free Legislative Council. It gives the chief secretary – the second-most powerful figure in the city’s administration – the power to revoke a film’s licence if it is found to “endorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national security.” Read more BBC News
Imax Achieves Best Year Ever for Local, Non-English Language Films
Imax has pulverized its company record for gross box office achieved by local, non-English-language films. In the year to date, its screens have enjoyed $165 million of gross revenue, compared to a previous high of $134 million achieved in the full 12 months of pre-pandemic year 2019. This point to an accelerating recovery for the global theater industry that is currently being driven by China, which has been the world’s biggest theatrical market through 2020 and 2021, and by other vernacular film industries, as much as by Hollywood. Read more Variety
