China’s ‘King of Banned Films’ Wants to Change the Subject

Lou Ye, long dubbed China’s “king of banned films,” has taken an unexpected turn: his newest work is a concert film about the rock band ReTROS, without dialogue and his first nonfiction project after decades of feature filmmaking. He rejects a sharp divide between documentary and fiction, saying that once a camera is pointed at people, reality is already altered.

His career has alternated between clashes with censors and films released widely at home. About half his films have been barred from screening in China; he has faced bans and made movies in secret, yet also accepted significant cuts to secure domestic releases.

The concert film, like some of his others, is still awaiting approval for wider showing. Stylistically, Mr. Lou resists clear categories: shaky, handheld camerawork and dreamlike narratives that begin with real moments but fold into stories within stories.

China

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