Australian horror film altered in China to erase gay couple, sparking backlash

An Australian horror film altered in China to make a same-sex couple appear heterosexual has drawn backlash from moviegoers and rights holders. Together, a supernatural body horror from writer-director Michael Shanks, was shown in select Chinese cinemas for advance screenings on Sept. 12. By Thursday, the film had not yet been released publicly in China, and audience members who saw the altered version circulated screenshots of the changes online.

The most visible alteration involved a scene depicting a gay couple, in which a man’s face was replaced with a woman’s in what critics described as an apparent AI-generated modification. In addition, several references to the same-sex relationship were removed. A scene showing the male lead in the shower was obscured with added steam. China, where same-sex marriage is not legally recognised and LGBT topics remain sensitive, has long censored LGBT content, but the use of what seemed to be automated digital alterations drew particular scrutiny among viewers and critics.

The film, written and directed by Australian Michael Shanks, follows a couple who move to the countryside and confront a mysterious force that changes their bodies and tests their relationship. Together premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and had a July release in the United States and Australia, earning largely positive reviews and a 90% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes. The advance screenings in China, however, thrust the film into a controversy over localization and content control in a market where such material is heavily regulated.

Neon, the film’s global distributor, condemned the unauthorised edits and said it did not approve of Hishow’s changes, demanding that the altered version cease distribution. Hishow has not publicly commented on the matter. Neon’s stance was reported after screenings, underscoring tensions between global distributors and Chinese partners in applying local censorship standards. The episode also highlights broader debates about how studios adapt or alter content for Chinese audiences.

Reaction on Chinese platforms has been swift. On Douban, where Together holds a 6.9 out of 10, posters criticised the edits as distortions of the narrative and disrespectful to the actors’ sexual orientations. One post described the changes as not merely cuts but distortions, while another called the alteration “disgusting.” Such conversations reflect a broader discomfort with AI-driven localization that can alter representation in films that have already been produced under a different cultural and social framework.

The incident sits within a broader context of censorship and digital editing in China. In other high-profile cases, elements of international cinema have been altered for Chinese releases; for instance, an AI-generated modification was used to mask a nude scene in Oppenheimer for Chinese cinemas. Beyond cinema, authorities have intensified restrictions on LGBT content in recent months. Since February, at least 30 writers of gay erotica—mostly young women—have been arrested, illustrating a climate in which sexual content and LGBTQ topics face heightened scrutiny. These dynamics complicate how global studios plan releases and how audiences in China access international films.

As of Thursday, Together had not yet aired in cinemas across China, and there was no clear timetable for a wide release in the country. Producers and Neon have stressed that the altered version does not reflect the project’s intent, and distributors continue to navigate the complex landscape of international film in markets with strict censorship regimes.