Disney's live-action remake of Mulan has been surrounded by controversy for at least a year, with more issues arising following the film's release. It was recently brought to light in the film's credits that production partially took place in the autonomous region of Xinjiang, also known as East Turkestan, where numerous governments and organizations have acknowledged that Chinese authorities continue to imprison and torture up to two million Uyghurs, as well as other Muslim groups, in re-education camps.
It has been reported that Chinese authorities have now ordered major news outlets across the country to avoid covering the upcoming release of the live-action Disney remake. While an official reason was not provided to those outlets, there is speculation that overseas backlash against the film, and its links to Xinjiang, prompted the coverage ban.
Filming for Mulan took place in New Zealand and in China, but it was only recently revealed -- in the credits of the film itself -- that production had taken place in and around the city of Turpan. Adding to the controversy was the fact that Mulan's credits paid special thanks to the Publicity Department of CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Committee, one of the authorities responsible for overseeing media content across numerous industries and ensuring adherence to party ideology and values in the region.
Furthermore, the credits mentioned the Turpan Municipal Bureau of Public Security, which experts have suggested oversee the re-education camps. Chinese state-run media has critcized the backlash as "another manifestation of the extreme ideologies regarding China among US public opinion."
Mulan was released on Disney+ and in theaters in certain markets. The film is set to release in Chinese theaters on Sept. 11. Current statistics show that Mulan has already sold 9.78 million yuan ($1.43 million) in tickets. Some analysts estimate it will ultimately earn 150 million yuan ($22 million) in China.
(via Reuters)