The Chinese government isn’t too happy with Ang Lee’s latest flick, Lust, Caution.

China’s State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT) has blacklisted actress Tang Wei for her role in the erotic spy thriller. Chinese officials sent a memo to the country’s media Friday demanding they pull all productions and commercials featuring Wei.

Lee’s film took home a Golden Lion from the Venice film festival last year and surrounds Japan’s occupation of Shanghai in the 1940s as Tang Wei’s character, an undercover insurgent, becomes sexually entangled with a powerful Japanese collaborator in order to assassinate him.

Despite winning a best new performer award at the Chinese equivalent to the Oscars (Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards), Tang has been heavily scrutinized by the country for her role.

Aside from all the sex, officials are also said to be turned-off by the film’s depiction of Japan.

“Beautifying Japanese collaborators sparked the controversy over Lust, Caution in China even more than the sex scenes did,” CBC.ca reports the United Evening News in China said. It was also reported that Chinese officials have publicly disapproved of Lust, Caution for its “glorification of traitors and insulting to patriots.”

Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee will not be blacklisted because of his required involvement in the Beijing Olympics. However, he is standing by Tang Wei.

“I am very disappointed that Tang Wei is being hurt by this decision,” Lee said in a statement.

“She gave one of the greatest performances ever in a movie that was properly produced and distributed. We will do everything we can to support her in this difficult time.”






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