Leica Distances Itself From Tiananmen Square 'Tank Man' Ad After Chinese Backlash

The brand now says cinematic spot 'The Hunt' was unauthorized

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It was meant to celebrate the heroism of photographers who brave international hotspots to capture the plight of victims. Instead, it became a victim of modern-day political tensions over an event that captivated the world’s attention 30 years ago.

Leica’s five-minute short film “The Hunt” from agency F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi in Brazil tells the fictionalized story of photographers facing arrest, beatings or even death while trying to cover conflict zones.

The most prominent setting in the story is China’s Tiananmen Square in 1989, where we see a photographer capturing a photo of the “Tank Man” moment in which an anonymous protestor blocked a line of Chinese tanks aiming to disrupt pro-democracy protests.

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