The Matrix Resurrections star Keanu Reeves was recently announced for the upcoming Tibet House U.S Benefit Concert. As a result, the actor has come under fire in China, with some suggesting a response targeting the recently released sci-fi film.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, Chinese nationalists are calling for a boycott of Matrix Resurrections owing to Reeves’ support for Tibet, which is currently controlled by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It is unknown how Reeves will participate, only that he is listed for the event as a performer for the March 3 event, alongside a number of musical stars, including Patti Smith, Jason Isbell and Iggy Pop, the latter of which is listed for a special greeting.
The concert, an annual event first held in 1989, will be held virtually this year owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Proceeds from the event go to the Tibet House U.S in order to ensure the survival of Tibetan culture, which is currently under threat. The concert is held at the beginning of the Tibetan New Year, traditionally marked by The Monlam Prayer Festival, a two-week festival once held in Lhasa, prohibited by the Chinese Communist Party for the last 60 years.
The Tibet House U.S is part of an international coalition of Tibet-focused organizations founded in 1987 at the request of the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who has been in exile since 1959, following the PRC’s annexation of Tibet in 1950. Since then, the Communist Party-ruled Chinese government has cracked down on the Tibetan people and culture. The Dalai Lama has alleged China’s invasion has resulted in the deaths of over a million Tibetans over the decades, including those who self-immolated as a form of protest.
The CCP has made efforts to ensure Tibet is recognized as a province of China. In recent years, these efforts are evidenced in popular films as, in order to be allowed into Chinese theaters, films are forced to avoid or omit references to Tibet or Tibetan people and culture, sometimes resulting in controversies such as those surrounding the whitewashing of certain characters in Doctor Strange, according the PEN America and screenwriter C. Robert Cargill.
With regard to The Matrix Resurrections, the Warner Bros. film opened in Chinese theaters in December, but performed underwhelmingly with a $7.5 million opening weekend. It’s worth noting that its domestic opening earned just $10.7 million. The film has thus far grossed a worldwide total of $148.3 million.
Source: CNA, via Yahoo
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