HONG KONG.- The most recent project of Nicole Kidman is set in Hong Kongbut residents of the region cannot see it, which has sparked speculation about the censorship in a city where civil liberties are increasingly reduced.
The first two episodes of Expats, a six-episode drama about a group of foreigners living in Hong Kong, premiered on Amazon Prime on January 26. But when viewers in Hong Kong try to watch it, they receive a message saying: “This video is currently not available to view in your location.”
The city has tightened its controls on political speech following massive anti-government protests in 2019.
Just a year after the protests, China passed a National Security Law that criminalizes political activities, such as independence protests. Since then, hundreds of activists have been arrested or taken into exile, while opposition-leaning media outlets have been forced to close.
The first episode of Expats includes a brief scene in which people at a rally chant in cantons: “I want real general elections.” The trailer for the series also shows a crowd with umbrellas, a reference to the Umbrella Revolution of 2014, when protesters demanded the right to elect the city’s chief executive.
The censorship
It is not the first time that Western productions moderate their content in Hong Kong. Walt Disney Co. removed an episode of the animated series The Simpsons that included a reference to forced labor camps in China from its streaming service. streaming Disney+ in Hong Kong.
In both cases, it was not clear if the authorities were involved in the decision to remove the content or if the companies acted on their own.
In June 2021, the city government changed the Film Censorship Ordinance giving it the power to remove films that include: “the portrayal, representation or treatment of any act or activity that may amount to a crime that endangers national security”.
A spokesman for the Office of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the government would not comment on the issue and directed questions to Amazon. Amazon representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kidman’s role in the series generated controversy in 2021, during the height of the pandemic, when the Hong Kong government gave her permission to skip a mandatory quarantine to film the series in the city, according to local media outlet HK01.
On Tuesday, the Hong Kong government announced plans to enact a local version of the 2020 National Security Law.
FUENTE: AP
