Screening axed for slasher movie

The screening of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, a British slasher film due to be released here this week, has been canceled for technical reasons, movie websites said yesterday.

Moviematic, which had organized a screening of the film for last night, reported the cancellation on its social media page.

Several other websites and media also reported the cancellation of the screenings.

The movie's distributor here, VII Pillars Entertainment, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A ticket-booking link on its Facebook page brought up a message saying ticketing was temporarily unavailable.

Chinese censors have in the past targeted the film's main character, originally conceptualized by English author AA Milne, due to memes that compare the bumbling bear to President Xi Jinping.

The comparisons began in 2013 when Xi visited the United States and met his then counterpart Barack Obama and some online commentators seized on their likeness to Pooh and Tigger.

Some people have used the image of Pooh to signal dissent.

A new censorship law in Hong Kong came into effect in 2021. Some films have been prevented from being shown. The law bars films that "endorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national security."

Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 following anti-government protests. The law sets out punishment for anything deemed subversion, secession, colluding with foreign forces and terrorism.

Two films were dropped from Hong Kong's international film festival last year after failing to get approval.

The cancellation comes as Hong Kong hosts the Art Basel contemporary art fair with authorities keen to promote the city as a vibrant cultural hub.