Over the years there have been a few gay-themed movies set in China and some were even filmed there. However, despite the fact homosexuality is legal in China, the government censors have never permitted a movie with major gay themes to be released there.

However, now for the first tim they have approved a movie that focuses on the relationship between two gay men – one Chinese and one French – Seek McCartney, directed by Wang Chao.

The Guardian reports that, ‘Chao broke the news via a post on the Chinese version of Twitter, Weibo. “This is a small step for the film department,” he said. “And a big step for the members of the film industry.”’

They add, ‘Seek McCartney is a Chinese-French co-production, with the local contribution also helping to explain why censors handed it a release spot. China allows only 34 films a year made by foreign film companies to screen at the world’s second-largest box office, as it seeks to foster interest in home-produced movies and protect them in the face of competition from Hollywood fare. Foreign films given permission to screen are rarely those with adult-orientated themes and tend to be blockbuster fantasy productions with little or no controversial content.’

Previously Chinese gay-themed films have screened in other countries, but none have ever been released domestically – including a couple that have found significant sucess on the film festival circuit. The government has complete control over what is and isn’t allowed to be legally screened in China, and even owns many of the major studios that produce homegrown movies.

Previously some minor gay content has been allowed, such as The Dead End, which featured a same-sex kiss. However mostly it has been cut out and toned down.