Originally scheduled to run from Saturday to August 31, the 11th Beijing Independent Film Festival was shut down on Friday, one day before its opening, according to Wang Shu, an employee with Li Xianting's Film Fund (LXT Film Fund).

Sponsored by art critic Li Xianting, the LXT Film Fund launched the annual Beijing Independent Film Festival in October, 2006.

According to a message posted by Li on Wechat, police were seen stationed outside Li's home and the offices of the film fund on August 18, after a poster for the film festival and a film schedule were released on the Internet.

But it was not until Friday, when Wang Hongwei, art director for the LXT Film Fund, and Fan Rong, the administrator of the fund, "were forced to sign a commitment for the cancellation of the film festival by the Songzhuang police station," that things came to an end.

This is not the first time the Beijing Independent Film Festival has been canceled.

"[Local authorities] haven't had much support for us since we started the film festival in 2006," Wang told the Global Times in a phone interview on Sunday.

The situation has turned more serious since 2012, according to Wang.

"In 2013 the opening film wasn't screened, but later activities took place as scheduled," Wang said, adding that she had no idea what would happen this year.

Zi Xiangdong, spokesman for the Beijing Public Security Bureau, stated that his office had no official comment at this time.