Censorship Controversy: Australian Film Altered for Chinese Release

Sun Oct 19 2025 20:08:29 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The Australian horror film 'Together' faced backlash after its gay couple was digitally altered to appear heterosexual for Chinese audiences, sparking a debate on censorship.

The Australian horror movie 'Together,' which features a same-sex couple, was edited for its release in China, leading to public outrage after viewers discovered that scenes had been modified to replace gay characters with heterosexual ones. The distributor, Neon, condemned the unauthorized changes, which included the use of AI to distort the original plot. The incident highlights ongoing censorship issues in China related to LGBTQ+ content.

An Australian film that was digitally altered to change a same-sex couple to a heterosexual one has drawn backlash from moviegoers in China.

'Together,' a horror film starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, was shown in selected Chinese cinemas in advance screenings on September 12. Cinemagoers later realised some scenes had been modified after screenshots showing the original scenes went viral online.

The film was due to be publicly released on September 19 - but as of Thursday has yet to be aired in cinemas.

The film's global distributor, Neon, later condemned the edit, stating that they did not approve of this unauthorized edit and demanded it cease distribution, according to reports.

The supernatural body horror film, written and directed by Australian Michael Shanks, follows a couple who move to the countryside and find themselves encountering a mysterious force that impacts their bodies, lives, and relationship. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was released in the US and Australia in July, earning a 90% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers quickly noticed that some sexual and nudity scenes had been modified, including one scene where the male lead’s nudity was obscured by added steam. However, the most significant complaints arose from a scene featuring a gay couple, which was altered to show a man's face replaced with a woman's and several references to the same-sex relationship were removed.

Such censorship isn't new in China, where same-sex marriage is not recognized, and LGBTQ+ topics remain largely taboo. Recent use of AI-generated alterations in film has generated controversy, with critics arguing that it distorts and misrepresents the original work. Comments on platforms like Douban highlighted the disgust over these modifications, arguing it disrespected both the plot and the actors’ identities.

Neon's condemnation of the edits put pressure on the film's Chinese distributor, Hishow, which has yet to comment on the matter. This incident isn't isolated, as similar alterations have been used in other films, including the Oscar-winning 'Oppenheimer.'

Since February, there's been an apparent crackdown on LGBTQ+ content in China, with at least 30 writers of gay erotic fiction arrested across the country, raising concerns over freedom of expression in arts and media.