People accused of defamation barred from film-making

Legal persons or organizations are banned from co-producing films with overseas organizations or individuals that have ever engaged in activities that caused damage to China's national dignity, honor and interests, stipulates a new law on the development of film industry passed by China's top legislature on Monday.

The law was passed at the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Monday and will take effect on March 1, 2017.

Legal persons and organizations are allowed to co-produce films with foreign organizations as long as they are approved by the film administrative department under the State Council. And they must not work with organizations involved in events that hurt China's national dignity, honor and interests, sabotage the social stability, and harm the Chinese people's feelings, read the law.

Any individual who is involved with the above activities is also banned from participating in film shooting.

In October, a TV documentary to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of Long March (1934-36) sparked an uproar among the public as it starred Bai Ling, a Chinese-American actress who gained fame for playing the role of a lawyer named Shen Yuling in the film Red Corner.

The film was subject to boycott by China for distorting China's judicial system and slandering Chinese officials.

Many netizens demanded that the documentary maker, the CCTV, give an explanation for offering a role to Bai.