to accentuate certain comic episodes, one of which includes a scene where two Japanese soldiers chase a chicken into Ma Dasan's courtyard. The scene plays out chaotically as Ma desperately tries to keep the soldiers away from the outer room where the two prisoners are being held. A hand-held camera is also used for a more somber effect at the end of the film when the massacre of the villagers is shown. To contrast, the films’ use of camera is much more subtle in the many interior shots in the early part of the film. Release and reception Cannes release and cutting The version shown at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival was three hours long. This was a working version that was later cut to 139 minutes with director Jiang Wen's full participation in order to enhance the film's commercial prospects and to tighten the storyline, which he did not have time to do before the Cannes premier. The film was booked for showing on 3 November 2014 at the Cornerhouse Manchester (UK) as part of Asia Triennial Manchester 14, and a 161-minute version arrived, somewhat to the organizers' surprise. The film was well received at this screening. Temporary ban in China Time Asia reported that the Chinese Film Bureau was furious at Jiang for having entered the film in the Cannes Film Festival without its permission. The Film Bureau reportedly sent two officials to Cannes to try to dissuade the festival from screening Devils on the Doorstep and demanded that Jiang hand over the negative (which was brought to Australia for post-production). There were also reports from Asian film circles that the authorities planned to punish Jiang by forbidding him to work in China for seven years. A representative from the Chinese Film Bureau confirmed that Jiang's status was "under review" and that China suspected Jiang was awarded his prize at Cannes for "political reasons". The film was subsequently banned in China by the Chinese Film Bureau. It was not known publicly if the seven-year ban was eventually imposed, but Jiang did not produce any directorial work between Devils on the Doorstep and the 2007 production The Sun Also Rises. However, he did act in several films, including The Missing Gun (2002), which was a huge commercial success in China. He was also nominated for Best Actor in the official Huabiao Awards in 2004 for his role in Warriors