HOLLYWOOD TO GLAMORISE MAO

HOLLYWOOD TO GLAMORISE MAO

Hollywood filmmaker STEVEN NORTH is causing controversy after announcing he is to make a positive portrayal of late Chinese dictator MAO TSE-TUNG. North, who produced the 2004 TV adaptation of A Christmas Carol, is financing Challenging Heaven, a biopic of the Marxist leader, who ruled the Asian nation from 1945 until his death in 1976. Human rights groups allege millions of people died under Mao's regime. And despite the controversy surrounding Mao's rule, North is set on making a positive portrayal of his life. He says, "This is a very positive portrayal of Mao and we are hoping that once the script clears the approval process, China will come up with services and support." Chinese author Jung Chang, who co-wrote Mao: The Unknown Story, fumes, "I am appalled, as I am sure will be all the Chinese who suffered and lost loved ones under Mao."