Zhang Yimou’s ‘One Second’ dropped from Berlin film festival

Binclude “Shadow,” ?House of Flying Daggers,” and “Raise the Red Lantern.”

“One Second” is set amid the chaos and violence unleashed by Mao Zedong during the 196676 Cultural Revolution, a period rarely discussed in history books or portrayed on film. It’s slated for release in China next year.

The party is hyper-sensitive to all direct or implied criticism and its control over the arts includes deciding what films are released based on largely secret criteria. Regulators routinely order what can and can’t be shown, with special scrutiny for content pertaining to sex, criminal activity, social dislocation, and perceived questioning of the authority or reputation of the party.

Another Chinese film had also been pulled for Berlin for similar reasons. “Better Days,” which portrays alienated youth was “withdrawn for censorship reasons,” the trade magazine Variety reported, citing unidentified sources.