Neon, the US distributor of the Australian body-horror pic “Together,” has sued the Chinese distributor Hishow. They’ve called on Hishow to cease distribution of the film, citing reports of unauthorized changes. The stir began when news broke that director Hishow had employed AI for the controversial task of erasing a same-sex couple from the film. This decision raised large alarm bells over censorship and representation in the distribution of international film.
Together, which stars actors Dave Franco and Alison Brie, focuses on how supernatural forces affect the bodies, minds, and relationship of its central characters. Our story has a key same-sex wedding sequence that came very close to getting changed digitally. News reports indicate that an unidentified person changed the scene by replacing a man’s face with a woman’s. This audacious strategy highlights the growing friction between artistic expression and local anti-censorship statutes.
The film was initially scheduled for a wide release in China on September 19. Its distribution plans faced major blowback as soon as word of the edits hit the press. Responding to such criticism, Hishow recently announced on social media that it would stop plans to circulate the modified version of “Together.” The event underscores a worsening situation in which movies are frequently refashioned with Chinese audiences in mind. Recent high-profile examples of this would be “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Oppenheimer.” These films were edited to obscure aspects of the nudity and sexuality, indicative of China’s harsh censorship laws.
Neon has released a statement condemning the alterations to “Together” that were made without permission. The distributor’s position speaks to the larger issue of staying true to the core message and motifs envisioned by the filmmakers. Altering or removing artwork These edits profoundly alter the artistic vision. They animate urgent ethical questions about the appropriation of LGBTQ+ representation in our cinema.
Censorship is an issue much larger than just restriction of film distribution. As a 2021 study by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute found, this is particularly shocking. In Australia, Chinese-language community media outlets were pressured to print the censored news as a means to avoid retribution from China. Writers based in mainland China often have to self-censor. They heavily censor translations of major news stories from Australian outlets to meet government compliance.
Unsurprisingly, the reworking of “Together” is far from the first example. It’s part of a worrying trend where books, theater, and other media are facing increased pressures of cultural insensitivity and government censorship. International audiences are noticing these bad practices more and more. The global discussion about artistic freedom vs representation in film is sure to heat up in response.
