China shuts down Beijing film festival

As reported in 'The Japan News' : China shuts down Beijing film festival 4:00 am, August 24, 2014 The Associated Press BEIJING (AP)—Chinese authorities shut down an independent film festival on its opening day Saturday, a rare venue for the showing of films that may be critical of the government in a country with tight controls, organizers said. Festival artistic director Wang Hongwei and executive director Fan Rong, both of Li Xianting Film Fund that has organized the 11th Beijing Independent Film Festival, said that the event was forced to close. Li Xianting, founder of the film fund and a film critic, has posted memos in social media over the past week saying that state security personnel have been pressuring him to cancel the festival and that he has come under police surveillance.