Ironic to say the least. Expats – the new prestige mini-series from Prime Video starring Nicole Kidman and available since last Friday – had worldwide rights… except for Hong Kong, where the story is set and the series is filmed.
“Currently unavailable”
For now, these are the first two episodes since Prime Video opted for a weekly broadcast strategy. Expats, created and produced entirely by Lulu Wang, is “currently unavailable” to subscribers in Hong Kong. The series, based on the 2016 novel The Expatriates, focuses on the lives of three American women in Hong Kong.
This inaccessibility is all the more surprising considering that the Expats production was well received by the Hong Kong authorities. Some observers attribute this to the fact that the latest episode took place in the context of the 2014 demonstrations. This movement arose against the Chinese government and its project, which was suspended the following year, limiting the scope of universal action. The right to vote for the election of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.
censorship
Since the government’s crackdown on the pro-democracy movement escalated in 2020, authorities have become increasingly sensitive to political or critical works, says The Guardian.
In 2021, laws were introduced to prevent broadcasts that conflict with the comprehensive and draconian national security law enacted in 2020. Censorship laws forced filmmakers to order their works or ban entire films from being broadcast.
Stream, gray area
Authorities said those laws do not apply to streaming services, but jobs such as expats are in a gray area because online platforms are still subject to national security law.
When the Disney+ streaming service launches in Hong Kong in November 2021, the featured seasons of The Simpsons will be missing an episode in which the family visits Tiananmen Square in Beijing. This episode reads “Nothing happened on this square in 1989“, a satirical call to China’s campaign to erase memories of the government’s massacre of student protesters.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
