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Sharon Stone not welcome at Shanghai film fest
2008-06-04
The backlash in China against Sharon Stone continued Wednesday as the Shanghai International Film Festival said the American actress was not welcome at this year's event. The 50-year-old "Basic Instinct" star provoked outrage in China after suggesting the recent earthquake in central Sichuan province may have been the result of bad "karma" because of Beijing's rule in Tibet. French fashion house Christian Dior dropped Stone from its Chinese ads after she made the comments in May during a Cannes Film Festival red-carpet interview. Stone, who walked the red carpet in Shanghai last year, will not be invited back soon, Shanghai International Film Festival spokeswoman Tang Bing said Wednesday. Tang said film festival organizers sent Stone a letter protesting her remarks and demanding an apology. Stone has said she was "deeply sorry" for causing anguish and anger among Chinese people, and offered to take part in quake relief efforts. The Hollywood actress previously impressed festival organizers with her charity work and her appearance last year, and her comments came as a surprise, Tang said. "She showed her affinity for the Chinese people and her affinity for Shanghai. She didn't say any bad things," said Tang. The Shanghai festival is scheduled for June 14-22. Stone's Hollywood publicist didn't immediately return an after-hours call Wednesday seeking further comment. Chinese have also lashed out at Western media for allegedly biased coverage of China's crackdown on anti-government protests in Tibet in March. Beijing says Tibet is historically part of China, but many Tibetans argue the region was virtually independent for centuries. Stone's film credits also include "Total Recall," "Sliver," "Casino" and "The Mighty." The death toll from the May 12 earthquake in China has passed 69,100.
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