The critically acclaimed U.S.-Australian body-horror movie “Together” launched in China on September 19. Some viewers noted, alongside cuts to sex scenes, a less familiar and overt form of alteration: one male character in a scene originally depicting a same-sex wedding was digitally replaced with a woman. The exact circumstances surrounding the change are unclear, but the following comments, compiled by CDT Chinese editors, illustrate the resulting storm of indignant criticism on film-focused corners of platforms like Douban, Zhihu, and Xiaohongshu (RedNote). Several refer to the Chinese government’s longstanding stance toward homosexuality of 不支持不反对 bù zhīchí bù fǎnduì, or “neither supporting nor opposing.” That purported balance has increasingly tilted toward opposition in recent years, with LGBTQ+ content and organizations facing mounting suppression. Other comments express fear that the face-swapping heralds a new wave of more technologically advanced and less readily identifiable censorship.
rockiron99: The mainland Chinese version of “Together” uses AI technology to “face swap” a same-sex couple from the original film into a straight couple. If they just deleted scenes, we could work it out by watching BluRay or streaming versions, and even scene alterations like cropping, dimming, or photoshopping in skirts could be fairly readily identified. But the evolution of alteration methods like this AI face-swapping is terrifying … in the future, we won’t even be able to tell if we’re watching the original film or not.
Superbia: We’ve reached the point where it’s not a matter of cuts, but of falsification and misrepresentation.
有劳犬子费心了： This is nauseating because it not only interferes with the integrity of the plot, it disrespects the sexual orientation of the actors. Congrats to those Chinese with thin skins for pioneering this new mode of film import. Next time, they might as well straight-swap “Call Me by Your Name” for hetero screenings.
Seven: Resolutely boycott.
檸檬石榴： Awesome! Next, let’s use one-click AI to re-release “Brokeback Mountain,” “God’s Own Country,” “Lan Yu,” and “Happy Together” as “restored” hetero romances—a faster and more effective conversion than drinking Chinese herbal medicine! What a beautiful country! There’s hope for us yet! 🤣🤡
眠： Is this for real?! Can anyone here who’s seen it shed any light?
CliffsWildGoat： I give up.
三碗薄茶： Now update “Farewell My Concubine.”
zodiacpoirot： “Don’t support, don’t oppose” … I’ve had it
米花町哈莉奎茵： I cannot even, anymore … they probably only import films so certain people can practice their censorship technique.
cevnn：It’s just one blessing after another for mainland movie-goers. Don’t support, don’t oppose, but control the conversation. Can’t filmmakers, producers, and copyright holders fight back against this kind of pernicious remixing?
生化危机终章： In the past, 🍊 always sent suggested edits back to the filmmakers for them to implement themselves. [🍊 is a veiled reference to the National Radio and Television Administration—橘 jú, or “orange/tangerine,” is a homophone for the final syllable, meaning “administration,” of 国家广播电视总局 Guójiā guǎngbò diànshì zǒngjú, the media regulator’s Chinese name.]
马孔多江湖骗子： Don’t import films unless absolutely necessary. It really just insults Chinese audiences’ wallets.
Jess Chao： Since you’re so broken and tamed, just go watch castrated versions for the rest of your life.
V: The term “second-class audience” is more apt than ever.
樱桃大喷菇🍄： I was planning to go see it, but now? Forget it.
小l：Let me guess: someone’s going to say, yet again, that the changes don’t affect your understanding of the plot. This is how the bar gets lowered, again and again.
dd2： Domestic box-office revenues haven’t hit rock bottom yet. [Background]
solitude： I finally understand the phrase, “Don’t support, don’t oppose.”
二少白禾： This is really scary.
嗷嗷： Stupid ****s, now I’m definitely not going to see it.
fleur🏳️🌈： Truly fucking outstanding. Are they really so desperate for money?
穗： Boycott it! When no one goes to see it, let them handle the blowback and then we’ll see if they keep making these kinds of changes.
稀片收藏铺： Falsification, on top of deletion.
重启人生： No way am I seeing this in the theater now, this is disgusting.
望和： Isn’t this copyright infringement?
萝卜头的蜘蛛人： When they hear about this in the West, we’ll be a laughing stock.
鏡中人： Don’t release it at all, then! It’s an absolute scandal, grubbing for money while insulting their audience.
雨子： After all, look who their best buddy is, big brother thug [Russia].
Anonymous_： I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
花轮同学： How’s that for “don’t support, don’t oppose”? Films and TV shows scrubbed “clean.”
z： This is a complete embarrassment, better not to release it at all.
饭团星人： They’ve ruined the logic of the original plot.
轻舟保住啊： How is LGBTQ content inappropriate for China? Who has the right to declare that? Pathetic!
Xeno： The filmmakers would have to be crazy to go along with this.
一条热带鱼： Feels like the original actors could sue?
影君子： Why import it at all, if it’s like this?
寻空： What do you expect, since China has no homosexuals. [Chinese]
The final comment is a sardonic reference to a real claim highlighted, for example, by The Economist’s Chaguan columnist in a 2023 piece tracking the shifting fortunes of gay rights in China: “During a first posting to Beijing in 2000, Chaguan heard a foreign government minister report, with disbelief, the claim of a Chinese counterpart that there were no gay men in China. Remarkable changes followed.”
