Disney Under Fire for Cozying Up to China with Newest Movie
Disney’s live-action remake of its animated 1998 film “Mulan” has been criticized for filming in and thanking the government entities in Xinjiang, the location of alleged large-scale human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims.
“Mulan” was released on Disney Plus on Friday and viewers noticed a “special thanks” in the film’s credits to eight government entities in Xinjiang, including the public security bureau in the city of Turpan where China is believed to operate “re-education camps” for Uighurs, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
It just keeps getting worse! Now, when you watch #Mulan, not only are you turning a blind eye to police brutality and racial injustice (due to what the lead actors stand for), you’re also potentially complicit in the mass incarceration of Muslim Uyghurs. #BoycottMulan https://t.co/dAMgZ6PWTD
— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 ? (@joshuawongcf) September 7, 2020
The credits also thank the “publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uighur Autonomy Region Committee,” the Communist Party agency responsible for propaganda efforts in the region.
“What’s wrong with thanking Xinjiang? Well, More than a million Muslims in Xinjiang, mostly of the Uighur minority, have been imprisoned in concentration camps,” journalist Isaac Stone Fish tweeted.
“Disney worked with regions where genocide is occurring, and thanked departments that are helping implement it.”
What’s wrong with thanking Xinjiang? Well, More than a million Muslims in Xinjiang, mostly of the Uighur minority, have been imprisoned in concentration camps. Disney worked with regions where genocide is occurring, and thanked departments that are helping implement it.
— Isaac Stone Fish (@isaacstonefish) September 7, 2020
The Xinjiang province is said to be home to Chinese “re-education” camps where prisoners are allegedly taught Chinese songs and communist slogans while living under horrific conditions.
“The food was bad, there weren’t enough hours for sleep and the hygiene was atrocious,” escaped prisoner Sayragul Sauytbay told Haaretz in October 2019.
“The result of it all was that the inmates turned into bodies without a soul.”
Prisoners were also reportedly tortured and used for medical testing, according to Sauytbay.
Activist Joshua Wong accused Disney of “kowtowing” to China because of the movie’s ties to Xinjiang, Reuters reported.
“We urge people around the world to boycott the new Mulan movie,” he said.
The film was shot in 20 different locations in China, including the Mingsha Shan desert and Tuyuk Valley.
The production team also spent months in Xinjiang doing research on the locations for the film, according to Architectural Digest.
“Mulan” reportedly cost $200 million to produce and its release was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It had previously faced controversy when actress Liu Yifei, who plays Mulan, posted a pro-police comment on Chinese social media platform Weibo at the height of Hong Kong violence, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
The hashtag #BoycottMulan trended on Twitter as her action was seen as supporting police brutality.
“I think it’s obviously a very complicated situation and I’m not an expert,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I just really hope this gets resolved soon.”
The Western Journal reached out to Disney for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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