French Institute in Chinese Capital Cancels LGBT Film Screenings Due to Police Pressure

In early June, the French Institute in Beijing, the capital of China, canceled the screening of two French LGBT-themed films after police officers entered the cultural center and intimidated the staff.

The Institute had planned to show the films Enzo (2025) and Eat the Night (2024), both of which explore same-sex relationships. The screenings were part of a program dedicated to Pride Month. According to sources, it was the mention of “Pride Month” in the brochures that attracted the authorities’ attention.

Initially, the Institute received phone calls. Then, on June 6, police officers came to the building in person. They demanded to inspect the films and began checking the ID cards of the Chinese citizens present, which served as a form of intimidation. The Institute’s administration refused to provide the films for inspection but was forced to cancel the screenings. Shortly after, the event announcements disappeared from booking platforms, and ticket buyers received refunds.

June is celebrated worldwide as Pride Month, dedicated to the visibility and rights of the LGBT community. However, in recent years, the Chinese government has tightened its control over the topic. Although homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997, same-sex marriage is not recognized, and the government actively suppresses LGBT activism and media representation. In 2023, under pressure from the authorities, the Beijing LGBT Center—one of the main safe spaces for the country’s queer community—was forced to close.