(Beijing, CHN) - A leading rights group has accused a Hollywood film studio of "profound insensitivity" after it shot scenes for a comedy in an eastern Chinese city where a prominent blind activist is under house arrest.
Relativity Media -- which has backed films including "Bridesmaids", "The Social Network" and "Salt" -- last week shot scenes for its new movie "21 and Over" in Linyi in Shandong province.
Chen Guangcheng, a self-taught blind lawyer who has been under house arrest since completing a jail term of more than four years in September 2010, lives in Linyi with his wife and daughter.
He was jailed in 2006 for "creating a disturbance" after campaigning against forced abortions and sterilisations under China's "one-child" family planning policy.
The company describes the film as a "wild epic misadventure of debauchery and mayhem" about three friends celebrating a 21st birthday -- prompting Human Rights Watch to condemn filming in the area without addressing Chen's plight.
"Relativity Media shows at the very least profound insensitivity to the realities of what is happening in Linyi," Phelim Kine, Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, told AFP.
"Relativity Media owes an apology to Chen Guangcheng and his family... this kind of conduct is unacceptable," he added, calling on the company to "leverage their influence" with local authorities on the issue.
Womenâ??s Rights Without Frontiers said it was "unconscionable" for the film studio to shoot scenes in Linyi, and urged movie-goers to boycott the film.
"While Relativity Media is creating a 'wild epic misadventure' about beer-drinking and debauchery, Chen Guangcheng is suffering unspeakable torment," said Reggie Littlejohn, president of the US-based activist group.
Rights groups say Chen and his wife have been severely beaten a number of times and numerous activists and foreign journalists trying to visit Chen have been attacked by guards surrounding the village.
The Los Angeles-based film studio did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.
Relativity Media has teamed up with Asian private equity firm SAIF Partners and IDG China Media to make "21 and Over", which was written by "The Hangover" screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.
The US company issued a press release last week quoting the Chinese city's top Communist Party official saying "Linyi is a beautiful city" and promising to "provide the best service possible" to Relativity Media.
