How gay romance Call Me by Your Name, pulled from Beijing film festival, earned a huge following in China.

Director Luca Guadagnino (centre) with Chalamet (left) and Hammer on the set of Call Me by Your Name.

Homosexuality was illegal in China until 1997, thought of as a mental illness until 2001, and is still considered ‘abnormal sexual relations or behaviour’ by state media watchdogs. Even so, Call Me by Your Name has a cult following in the country, despite never been shown at Chinese cinemas