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Wang Xiaoshuai
Film Director, China
For more than a decade, Chinese film director Wang Xiaoshuai had to accept that his work would not be shown in his own country. While his movies won accolades at international film festivals, they were banned at home. Why? They presented an unvarnished picture of contemporary Chinese life that didn't conform to the Communist Party's idealized version of reality. "I've been struggling for my independence as a director for 12 years," says Wang, 39, who steadfastly refused to soften his artistic vision to get past the censors.
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Read a Q&A with Wang Xiaoshuai