SARFT postpones 5 films

Five films, including American sci-fi hit Looper, expected to be released soon in Chinese cinemas, have had their release dates postponed, an official with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television confirmed to the Global Times Wednesday.

The release of Looper, introduced as a co-produced film by American and Chinese film companies, was postponed from scheduled National Day holidays in October because of its "uncertain cooperation identity," the Guangzhou-based New Express newspaper reported.

According to the regulatory authorities, the investment by Chinese companies should be no less than one third in co-produced films, with Chinese actors playing major characters, and part of the film should be shot in China, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

White Deer Plain (Bailuyuan), a film directed by Wang Quan'an and adapted from the novel of the same name by Chen Zhongshi, which was set to be released on Thursday, was also postponed.

Kang Jianmin, deputy director of the China Film Association, dismissed  speculation that the release of the film was delayed because of overly bold sex scenes.

Chen told the media Wednesday that the delay of the film was caused by blurred subtitles on the film and the producer had to redo them.

Zhang Yuqi, Wang's wife, wrote on Sina Weibo that despite repeated inspections by authorities, the director carried on because the book and the film were valuable to him in his search for the nation's soul and roots.

Two other Chinese films, including The Tree in the Rain (yu zhong de shu) and Love Is … Pajamas (nanren ru yifu), were also postponed from September 19 and 28 respectively, according to New Express.

Also, the Japanese animated film Detective Conan: The Eleventh Striker, set to hit screens on September 25, was postponed due to "technical problems," the newspaper said.

He Junyi, the secretary of Han Sanping, chairman of China Film Group, told the Global Times that they received no official announcement and only saw the news on Weibo. "It is abnormal and rarely seen that so many films are delayed at one time," He said.

Some Web users speculated that the film regulatory authorities seem to be tightening censorship in preparation for the upcoming 18th CPC National Congress.

Cheng Qingsong, a well-known screenwriter, dismissed the speculation, saying it is common for films to be banned or postponed in China.

Huang Qunfei, manager of the New Film Association, said that most producers decided to push back their release dates because they want to avoid competing with Western blockbusters such as Batman and maximize box office takings.