A U.S. film company has criticized an alteration made to the body horror film “Together,” changing a gay couple to a straight couple in the Chinese version. Comparisons showed differences in the portrayal of a wedding scene in the two versions, with one man’s face edited to appear as a woman in the Chinese release.
“Together” narrates the tale of Tim and Millie, portrayed by real-life partners Dave Franco and Alison Brie, who experience a supernatural force in a rural town attempting to merge their bodies. The movie, distributed in China by Hishow, faced backlash for the unauthorized edit, prompting Neon, the global distributor, to demand the altered version’s cessation.
Criticism arose on Chinese social media, condemning the modification that altered the original storyline. The incident reflects China’s stringent film censorship regulations, where movies are pre-screened and subject to edits to align with Chinese values before public release.
Notably, the situation mirrors the editing of “Bohemian Rhapsody” in China, where scenes referencing Freddie Mercury’s sexuality were removed, leading to viewer dissatisfaction. While China has decriminalized homosexuality since 1997, recent crackdowns on LGBTQ+ groups indicate ongoing challenges faced by the community.
The face swap controversy in “Together” underscores the delicate balance filmmakers navigate in China, highlighting the need to adhere to strict censorship guidelines, even at the expense of creative expression.