China calling for boycott of Keanu Reeves’ Matrix Resurrections over Tibet House US Benefit Concert
DHARAMSALA, 24 Jan: Chinese nationalists are calling for a boycott of Matrix Resurrections, days after Keanu Reeves was announced among the performers at the annual Tibet House US Benefit Concert.
“Chinese nationalists are calling for a boycott of Matrix Resurrections owing to Reeves’ support for Tibet, which is currently controlled by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), cbr.com reported.
The Tibet House US announced earlier this month that the Matrix Resurrections star Keanu Reeves will be among the performers along with artists like Patti Smith, Trey Anastasio, and Jason Isbell for the Tibet House’s annual benefit concert on 3 March.
The concert, an annual event first held in 1989, will be held virtually for the second year in a row owing to the COVID-19 pandemic that still continues to rave the world.
Composer Philip Glass will reportedly once again serve as the show’s artistic director and curator, with Laurie Anderson, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Angélique Kidjo, and the Fiery Furnaces also on the diverse lineup of the 35th Tibet House annual benefit concert from Carnegie Hall to the virtual realm, The Rolling Stone reported.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit Tibet House US, which aims to promote and preserve Tibetan culture by serving as both a cultural centre in New York City and an online global resource for those interested in Tibetan civilization.
Tibet House US was founded in 1987 at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
For the uninitiated, over the years, China has banned and censored a long list of celebrities including Richard Gere, Selena Gomez, Maroon 5, Bon Jovi, Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk, Hollywood actor Harrison Ford, noted film-maker Martin Scorsese and Katy Perry for supporting Tibet or simply hurting the sentiments of Chinese.
