The Australian supernatural horror film ‘Together’ has sparked controversy after its Chinese distributor digitally altered a same-sex couple to appear as a heterosexual pair.
The film, which follows a couple who move to the countryside, only to encounter a mysterious force that begins to warp their bodies, lives and relationship, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
The edits were, however, discovered when the film, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, was screened in select Chinese cinemas on September 12 ahead of its wider release on September 19.
Viewers reported on social media that a scene featuring a gay couple was significantly modified, with one man’s face replaced by a woman’s. Other references to the same-sex relationship were also removed from the movie.
Some users also said that certain sex scenes had been removed from the final version shown in theatres.
In a statement, the film’s global distributor Neon condemned the changes while referring to the Chinese distributor Hishow.
“Neon does not approve of Hishow’s unauthorised edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version,” the company said.
The alterations also included adding steam to obscure a nude shower scene involving the male lead. However, the modification of the characters’ sexual orientation attracted the most significant criticism.
The changes triggered outrage on Douban, a popular Chinese film review site.
“This is no longer just a matter of cuts — it’s a matter of distortion and misrepresentation,” one user wrote on the site.
“Not only did they alter the plot, but they also disrespected the actor’s sexual orientation. It’s disgusting,” another said.
China has a long history of censoring LGBT content and nudity in media. Same-sex marriages and relationships are not legally recognised in the country.
In a similar move last year, a nude scene featuring Florence Pugh in ‘Oppenheimer’ was digitally altered for Chinese audiences, with a black dress added to cover her body.
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