Podcast
Objectionable
Objectionable is an independent research podcast about films that were banned, cut, refused, withdrawn, suppressed, or otherwise restricted around the world. Each episode follows one film, one ruling, and the paper trail around it: what happened, who made the decision, why they made it, and what the controversy reveals about politics, culture, and the limits of expression.
Rather than treating every controversy as a “ban,” Objectionable distinguishes formal prohibitions from cuts, classification refusals, cancelled screenings, suppression, and voluntary withdrawal. Full show notes, sources, transcripts, and the growing film index are available at objectionable.media.
- Episodes
- 1
- Typical length
- 13 min
- On air since
- 2026
- Latest episode
- 1 week ago
Episodes
1 episode, newest first
-
13 min
To Live — Survival, Memory, and the Limits of Political Cinema
Episode 1
Show notes
In Zhang Yimou's To Live (1994), one family's survival becomes a lens on political upheaval. Sidu Chen examines the film's tragic ironies, shadow puppets, and international reception, asking whether endurance is a form of resistance or a surrender to history. Contains plot spoilers.
Music: “Growing Up” by Scott Buckley · CC BY 4.0 · Edited excerpts.
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