'Lust, Caution' has its way with bourgeois China

While many have been drawn to Lust, Caution by the allure of sex scenes, even more groundbreaking is the notion of a traitor in a leading role depicted as an attractive character instead of a villain.

"The country has undoubtedly become more and more open and advanced, and this is the tide of history, which no one can prevent," said Fang Li (方勵), a leading producer. "Compared to a market economy that's developing so fast, I've never seen an industry in China as backward as the film industry, though."

Fang said much of the blame for this lay with the censors, a group of mostly elderly people who work in committee and invite critical comment from branches of government, from the Women's Federation to provincial governments, all seeking to present their constituency in the best light and to avoid offense.

The censors "spend most of their time worrying how not to lose their post," he said. "They are very careful not to make mistakes."

Other critics of the system said the country's censors have become much more careful about leaving fingerprints. Wu Di (吳迪), a researcher at the China Movie Art Center in Beijing , said when the director Tian Zhuangzhuang (田壯壯) shot The Blue Kite, a 1993 movie about the Cultural Revolution, notice was sent throughout the industry warning companies against hiring him. Tian framed one of the posters and hung it on his wall, referring to it in interviews with journalists.

"Now, under the so-called harmonious society, they wouldn't do things so baldly," Wu said.

Instead of publishing a banning notice, the same result is achieved today with a few phone calls, which leave little trace.

Li Yu (李玉), director of the recent film Lost in Beijing, which has some nudity, said she tried hard to remain positive even after being forced to excise several minutes from her movie.

"People who make movies in China understand the situation well, and a lot of them are criticizing the system, saying that censorship prevents them from making good movies, which is partly true," Li said. "But I feel the environment is becoming more and more relaxed."