Return to Dust, Chinese hit film about rural hardships, disappears from streaming platforms

Film's sudden disappearance in China prompts censorship accusations amid heightened sensitivity ahead of key Communist party meeting

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A popular Chinese film depicting a love story amid the hardships of life in rural China has been removed from all streaming services just weeks after its release, and discussion of it censored on social media.

Return to Dust had been widely praised by audiences for its realistic and moving depiction of rural life in China. For the same reason it had also drawn criticism from nationalistic voices accusing it of portraying China in a negative light.