The inaugural IndieChina Independent Film Festival, originally scheduled in New York from November 9 to 15, was abruptly canceled on November 6 after organizers, guests, and volunteers faced a wave of intimidation from unidentified actors. Festival director Zhu Rikun announced the decision, saying he could not, “in good conscience,” expose filmmakers, forum speakers, volunteers, or even audience members to potential danger.
The pressure reportedly began on October 30, when Zhu received a strange phone call from his father in China, urging him not to “do things harmful to the country” while overseas. Soon after, a woman who helps Zhu manage affairs in Beijing was summoned by authorities, threatened for assisting him, and warned that he would face legal trouble if he returned to China.
Within two days, nearly every director still living in China withdrew from the festival—many citing personal reasons. Meanwhile, directors and invited guests abroad told organizers that their family members inside China were being questioned or harassed.
One of the New York screening venues also received an anonymous letter claiming to be from “Chinese students living in New York,” arguing the films might misrepresent modern China and demanding the festival be canceled. A U.S.-based volunteer resigned after family in China were threatened. Zhu said no officials or individuals have provided any explanation of what offense he or the festival allegedly committed.
Human Rights Watch condemned the cancellation as further evidence of Beijing’s transnational repression. The organization noted that three major independent film festivals within China have already been shuttered over the past decade. Yalkun Uluyol, a China researcher at HRW, stated that the intimidation campaign reaching into New York reflects the Chinese government’s effort to shape global narratives about the country, and urged governments around the world to push back against such censorship.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 8, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511080148.aspx