Chinese streaming site Mango TV cut OFF the phrase "gay man" from Rami Malek’s Oscar speech.
Malek was trying to honor young people struggling with their identity when he said “listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life unapologetically himself,” but chinese censors replaced “gay man” with “special group.”
Screen grabs of the moment went viral on Chinese social media.
China is known to ban or censor gay-themed content in apprehensive ways. Last year, for example, they banned gay romance “Call Me by Your Name” from appearing at the Beijing International Film Festival. Gay-themed storytelling has also been banned from television for many years now, ditto online streaming content.
“Hope,” Na’s first film in ten years — his last one being the exemplary “The Wailing” —is a gloriously messy, blood-soaked sci-fi epic that may become a cult classic despite—or because of—its polarizing nature.