Directors criticise Spielberg over Olympics pull-out

CHINA : CAUGHT IN the fall-out from Steven Spielberg's decision this month to quit as artistic director to the Beijing Olympics…

CHINA: CAUGHT IN the fall-out from Steven Spielberg's decision this month to quit as artistic director to the Beijing Olympics, a trio of international film directors defended their decision to take part in a series of short films about the games, saying their films were not propaganda but art.

Hong Kong star film-maker Andrew Lau Wai-keung criticised Spielberg for his decision to quit.

A press conference to launch Vision Beijingturned into a debate about the role of art in politics and just exactly what qualifies as propaganda. Lau, Iranian Oscar nominee Majid Majidi and Britain's Daryl Goodrich were in the Chinese capital for the premiere of the Vision Beijingproject.

Italian Giuseppe Tornatore and France's Patrice Leconte, an Oscar nominee for his film Ridicule, also directed short movies for the project, which premiered yesterday.

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"I was shocked and surprised that Steven stepped back from his work with the Beijing Olympics. It's clear that the Olympics is all about sport and nothing to do with politics," said Lau, whose film Infernal Affairswas recently remade by Martin Scorsese.

He also questioned the timing of Spielberg's decision to quit, so close to the games.

Spielberg caused an international controversy when he quit two weeks ago as adviser to the opening and closing ceremonies of the games in August, saying his conscience would not allow him take part because of China's policy on the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Beijing has gone on the offensive to try to regain some of the ground lost in the public relations battle so far. State media accused Spielberg of dragging the Olympics into the political arena.