Chinese Film Return To Dust Disappears From Countrys Cinemas Despite Huge Earnings OLD
The Chinese film " Return to Ashes " disappeared from theaters across the country despite grossing $14 million (£12.5 million) at the box office.
The film was reportedly pulled from all theaters and removed from all streaming platforms a few weeks after release. According to local Chinese media, mentioning the film on Weibo is also prohibited.
Return to Dust is a Chinese drama film written and directed by Li Ruijun.
According to the official synopsis, the plot “tells the life of Ma Yuti and Cao Guiying in rural Gansu.
Guiying is a handicapped, barren woman, abused by her family, and past the normal age when women in rural China marry. Their family arranged a wedding between the two and they fell in love with each other.
According to the SCMP , the film explores the impact of the country's economic growth and rapid urbanization on the lives of a moderate couple in a rural village.
One of the film's producers, Wang Tianye, told the publication that "they have not received any official documents [to block the film]."
"We don't understand why," he said. "Therefore, we hope that this film will be opened to the public again as soon as possible."
Return to Dust will have its world premiere at the Berlinale in 2022. The film will also have its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2022.
The film received rave reviews from critics and was praised for its honest portrayal of rural life in China. However, he was also widely criticized by nationalists who accused him of portraying the country poorly.
The film's disappearance sparked speculation that it had been delayed due to the upcoming meeting of the Chinese Congress, with Beijing pressuring the authorities to ensure an atmosphere of stability.
Earlier this week, a hashtag related to the film's removal was all the rage on Chinese social media, but there were few comments.
It was reportedly subsequently censored with a Weibo error message stating that it could not be found "due to relevant laws, regulations, and policies."
A visible comment read: “Hide the suffering, there will be no suffering.
Another said, "Does it have to be a happy and successful family scene to be real?"
