According to Bloomberg and other local and international news sources China has ordered the cancellation of live broadcasts of April’s Oscar ceremony following the nomination of Norwegian Anders Hammer’s Hong Kong pro-democracy film Do Not Split in the Short Documentary category.
Bloomberg reported that “the Communist Party’s propaganda department issued the order to all media outlets […who…] were told that Oscars coverage should focus on awards that aren’t seen as controversial.”
The order was also reported by other media including Radio Free Asia and Hong Kong’s Apple Daily late Tuesday. The information office of China’s State Council didn’t respond to Bloomberg requests for comment.
Produced by filmmaker-driven journalism and documentary unit Field of Vision, Do Not Split takes the viewer into the heart of the 2019/2020 Hong Kong protests, capturing the determination and sacrifices of the city’s youth as their movement becomes symbolic for a generation’s rebellion against the political system.
Director Anders Hammer commented: “Beijing’s encroachment on Hong Kong’s civil liberties is the main theme of our documentary Do Not Split. This alleged censoring of the Oscars due to our documentary being nominated is unfortunately not a big surprise after witnessing how freedom of speech and freedom of press is being drastically curtailed in Hong Kong. Sadly the situation there is deteriorating right now, and we see activists and pro-democracy politicians risking many years in prison charged under the new draconian national security law.”
Producer Charlotte Cook added: “Field of Vision has a commitment to tell vital stories from around the world, and to challenge unjust power structures. We are so proud to have made Do Not Split as it exemplifies both. It is important for the world to know about the erosion of liberties happening in Hong Kong, and any form of censorship only furthers the case for how crucial it is that this story, and the past, current and future events in Hong Kong, are being told as widely as possible.”
Do Not Split premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; screened at CPH:DOX, Guanajuato International Film Festival, Denver Film Festival, SFFILM’s Doc Stories, Meet the Press Film Festival at AFI, and Indy Shorts International Film Festival; and received the AFI DOCS Short Film Special Jury Prize and Special Jury Recognition for Courage Under Fire at DOC NYC.
