Should entertainers steer clear of politics? The makers of Mulan hope it will draw audiences back to cinemas. But critics say that it and its star are endorsing a brutal Chinese regime.
The Disney film whipping up a desert storm
Should entertainers steer clear of politics? The makers of Mulan hope it will draw audiences back to cinemas. But critics say that it and its star are endorsing a brutal Chinese regime.
The scenes from the trailer are thrilling. Horsemen charge across a plain, their banners flying; catapults hurl flaming missiles; dark figures race across rooftops; a beautiful girl draws her sword. Mulan's online release last weekend met with ecstatic tweets: "It's so epic!" said one. "Visually stunning," said another. But soon a very different message was trending: "#BoycottMulan."
What had raised Twitter users' hacklesA long feather or group of feathers on a bird's neck or the hairs on a dog's back that rise when it is angry or frightened. was something many viewers had not even noticed: the credits right at the end of the film. Among those thanked were eight Chinese government departments, including the Turpan MunicipalA municipality is a town or district that has its own government. Bureau of Public Security and "the publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uighur Autonomy Region Committee".
Xinjiang is an area of north-west China where much of Mulan was filmed; Turpan is one of its main cities. But Xinjiang is also the focus of Beijing's heavily criticised repressive measures against the Uighur people.
It is thought that over a million have been sent to detention camps for harsh "re-education" so that they respect Communist Party doctrine instead of their traditional Muslim beliefs. Children have been taken away from their parents, and women forcibly sterilisedSterilisation is surgery that prevents a human or animal from producing offspring.. The process has been described as genocide - and the Turpan Municipal Bureau of Public Security has played a key part. It even built the first of the camps.
Local "publicity departments", meanwhile, are accused of spreading propaganda to disguise the government's behaviour. They have claimed that the Uighurs live in "peace and harmony" and that the camps do not exist.
Critics allege that scenes for Mulan were filmed in the Xinjiang desert at the height of the re-education campaign. They add that the production team would have passed seven of the camps on their journey from the airport. "Imagine parts of a global blockbuster being filmed in the vicinitySurrounding area. It comes from a Latin word meaning "neighbour". of minority villages, when [government] work teams are going door to door, asking questions, followed by mass internment by police," wrote Shawn Zhang, an expert on the region.
The film first gave rise to controversy several months ago when its Chinese-born American star, Liu Yifei, voiced support for the Hong Kong police as they cracked down on pro-democracy protestors. Its content, too, is controversial.
Mulan is based on a Mongolian legend about a girl who joins the army disguised as a young man to save her elderly father from doing military service. In the Disney version, however, Mulan is Han Chinese - a member of the ethnic group that makes up 92% of the country's population.n
The Mongolians, like the Uighurs, complain of repression by the Han majority. Last week saw a wave of protests against a new education policy that calls for schools to teach fewer lessons in Mongolian and more in Mandarin. Having their legends hijacked by the Han arguably adds insult to injury.
<h5 class="eplus-yffhIg">Should entertainers steer clear of politics?</h5>
Some say, yes. For actors and film-makers to get involved in politics is an abuse of their popularity: Liu Yifei's suggestion that her character would have supported the Hong Kong police is a prime example. And in practical terms it is very unwise, since many potential fans are likely to be alienated. It would have been far better to film Mulan's desert scenes in another country.
Others argue that entertainers are as entitled to their views as anyone else. Politics permeateSpread through something or be present throughout it. In science, a permeable substance is one that a liquid or gas can go through. all our lives, and if actors turned down every film with a political element they would starve. In any case, when dealing with a country like China it is impossible to remain neutral. There is even speculation that Liu Yifei's political tweets were designed to save her Chinese family from persecution.
Hackles - A long feather or group of feathers on a bird's neck or the hairs on a dog's back that rise when it is angry or frightened.
Municipal - A municipality is a town or district that has its own government.
Sterilised - Sterilisation is surgery that prevents a human or animal from producing offspring.
Vicinity - Surrounding area. It comes from a Latin word meaning "neighbour".
Permeate - Spread through something or be present throughout it. In science, a permeable substance is one that a liquid or gas can go through.
The Disney film whipping up a desert storm

Glossary
Hackles - A long feather or group of feathers on a bird's neck or the hairs on a dog's back that rise when it is angry or frightened.
Municipal - A municipality is a town or district that has its own government.
Sterilised - Sterilisation is surgery that prevents a human or animal from producing offspring.
Vicinity - Surrounding area. It comes from a Latin word meaning "neighbour".
Permeate - Spread through something or be present throughout it. In science, a permeable substance is one that a liquid or gas can go through.