šŸ“”Guardians of Hong Kong
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#Showbiz #Cinema #FilmMaking
China Film Companies Ban Casting 'Non-patriotic' Actors and Actresses

Apple Daily reported that China film companies would ban Hong Kong and Taiwan actors who did not declare they "love China". Actors and actresses have to issue a statement and ensure they would not be banned by China for having an "incorrect political stance" for as long as 10 years.

Source: Apple Daily
#Apr29 #selfcensorship #mediacensorship

https://fortuneinsight.com/web/posts/490516
#Censorship #WhiteTerror
Documentary about Hong Kong Pro-democracy Singer Denise Ho Banned by Top Streaming Platform

On July 1, 2020, the documentary about Hong Kong pro-democracy singer Denise Ho was released but meanwhile banned by a top streaming platform. Ho expressed her disappointment but did not reveal the name of the platform. The streaming platform has business in China and this is suspected to be the reason why the documentary was censored.

Director Sue Williams found it ironic that a documentary, exploring how artists censored by China survive in the showbiz, was itself censored by China. The director also said she did not think that the film could be shown in Hong Kong theatres.

Source: Apple Daily #Aug26
https://bit.ly/2YCBqKR

#DeniseHo #HOCC #SueWilliams #Cinema #Documentary #ChinaMarket
#Christmas2020
Hongkonger: First Christmas Without Cinema

In December 2019, COVID-19 was spread from Wuhan to other parts of China. In Spring 2020, the coronavirus pandemic was hitting the whole world.

At Christmas 2020, COVID-19 is still menacing the world, causing the separation of families, the suspension of festive activities and the closure of businesses including restaurants and theatres.

The following is a Hong Kong cinephille's contemplation for Christmas 2020:

"When friendship and relationship are vulnerable, you thought at least the Cinema would be there for you. This year, even the Cinema was unwell.

Next year today, you might be in the UK, Australia, Canada and Taiwan. Let's hope there will still be cinemas. Even when we are apart, we can still dream the same dream together inside the cinema, somewhere.

I hope we have not yet become "Alice in the Borderland"; we have a "Sweet Home"; and, most importantly, we shall remember to stay "#Alive".

Although bad news find their way to us everyday, I wish everyone still a merry Christmas."

Source: Jacky Hei #Dec25

https://www.facebook.com/160125994157497/posts/1782430935260320/

#Cinema #Covid19 #HongkongersVoice #CoronavirusPandemic
#Censorship #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong Authorities Warn Medical Workers' Union Over Film Screenings Related to Tiananmen Massacre

The Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (#HAEA) has been warned by the government's Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration (#OFNAA), when they organized screenings for the film "Conjugation" and the documentary "I Have Graduated".

Both films are related to the Chinese Communist Party's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy citizens at Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, in Beijing.

The Union recounted that their office was visited by the film censors without prior notice on the evening of May 27, 2021. The authorities demanded the Union to answer whether approval has been sought to show the films. Responding to media's inquiry, the film censors claimed that they received "inquiry" whether the screenings had followed the Film Censorship Ordinance.

The Union condemned the film censors for not showing their identification cards and taking photos of the office.

Text: InMedia #May27
Image: HAEA

#PoliceState #PoliticalSuppression #PublicScreening #Conjugation #IHaveGraduated #June4 #Cinema #TiananmenMassacre #BannedFilms
#Cinema #Art
#CannesFilmFestival screens Hong Kong director #KiwiChow's social movement #documentary ā€œRevolution of Our Timesā€ at the last minute

Source: Stand News; Hollywood Reporter #Jul15

Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30517
#Cinema #Art
#CannesFilmFestival screens Hong Kong director #KiwiChow's social movement #documentary ā€œRevolution of Our Timesā€ at the last minute

The annual Cannes Film Festival which is closing on July 17, 2021 suddenly announced that it will screen ā€œRevolution of Our Timesā€, a documentary on Hong Kongā€™s pro-demoncracy movement in 2019, at 11am on July 16.

The documentary was directed by Hong Kong director Kiwi Chow whose previous works include Ten Years, and Beyond the Dream.

In his interview with the Wall Street Journal, Chow said he spent two years producing the film in secret. His friends had tried to convince to him to leave Hong Kong, hide his name from the film, or at least change the title of the film; but he refused.

ā€œIt is not freedom if I had to guess where the red line isā€, Chow said.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Festival announced the screening of ā€œRevolutions of Our Timesā€ at the last minute in order to protect the film crew.

On July 14, 2021, the Festival sent out an email to some media stating a ā€œsurprise documentaryā€ would be added, and about 10 reporters were invited to a private viewing. The media were required to keep the news a secret until the afternoon July 15.

Source: Stand News; Hollywood Reporter; Wall Street Journal #Jul15

https://thestandnews.page.link/twLjaX818nrWtMTj9

#ProtestArt #Professionalism #HongKongDirector #RevolutionofOurTimes
#Solidarity #Respect
HK Documentary Director Thanks Supporters, Has No Plans to Leave HK

The surprise screening of Kiwi Chow's documentary "Revolution Of Our Times" at the 2021 #CannesFilmFestival, one of the three major film festivals worldwide, had attracted widespread attention.

The film documents Hong Kong's 2019 Anti-ELAB movement, and its trailer was posted online on July 18, 2021. Many viewers commented that they could not hold back their tears, and thanked the director for recording history.

#KiwiChow had previously directed the short "Ten Years: Self-Immolator" and feature film "Beyond the Dream".

In an interview with Stand News, he responded to the warm reception from netizens: "Some things go both ways. Some people thanked me; I also want to thank everyone."

Many had expressed concern for Chow's personal safety. He had mentioned in previous interviews that he had to "prepare to face potential consequences." He did not want to dwell on what the "consequences" may be, lest he be dominated by fear.

Chow is currently in Hong Kong, and has no plans to leave. "I don't need to, nor want to, allow the fear of what hasn't happened - and only exists in my imagination - to control my decisions."

#Cinema #Art #Documentary #RevolutionOfOurTimes #ProtestArt #ToFreedom

Source: Stand News #Jul16
https://thestandnews.page.link/aKNC8LXo3U6wdXsJ6
#Censorship #RedLine
Hong Kong Film Censorship Authorities reject two student movies citing national security violations


Two movie screenings in the 4th Ground Up Student Film Festival have been cancelled after the films failed to obtain a Certificate of Approval from Hong Kongā€™s Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration (#OFNAA).

The news came shortly after the amended Film Censorship Ordinance came into effect on 5 November 2021. The amended ordinance sets out the need to put an end to acts and activities that may endanger national security and it also allows the Chief Secretary of Administration to withdraw already-issued screening permits.

On November 19, 2021, Hong Kong Film Censorship Authority first turned down approval for #TheCage, a short film directed by Hong Kong Baptist University (#HKBU) graduate Tsoi Wing-chau. The film depicts totalitarian rule, capitalism, freedom and resistance.

Two days later, another film Piglet Piglet that sets around Taiwan's Presidential election also failed to obtain an approval certificate. The screening of #PigletPiglet was cancelled just over five hours before it was set to be held.

Director of the film, Lin Tsung-yen, wrote on his Facebook page, saying that ā€œlocal authorities expressed disapproval. They asked me to cut all scenes and information linked to Taiwanese Presidential election and Tsai Ing-wen.ā€

#GroundUp #FilmFestival #FilmCensorshipAmendment #NationalSecurityLaw #TsaiIngWen #Cinema

Source: Stand News, #Nov21
https://thestandnews.page.link/CgCJg1s5p4D1XvFF8
#CCPCensorship
Ending of Fight Club Restored in China

#FightClub, a 1999-film directed by #DavidFincher and starred by #BradPitt and #EdwardNorton, was streamed by #TencentVideo in China but with a very different ending. The change of ending to satisfy Chinese censorship has created backlash from film fans around the world.

Finally, the Chinese streaming platform restored the original ending to the film, instead of telling the viewers that the police had "rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals."

Source: RFA #Feb8
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/end-02082022040540.html

#Hollywood #Cinema
#Censorship
#China requests shots of Statue of Liberty be removed in #Spiderman: No Way Home; declined by #SONY

Confirmed by multiple sources, CBR.com quoted a passage from puck.news stating the Chinese authority requested shots of the Statue of Liberty in the latest Spiderman film No Way Home be removed.

China's request was allegedly caused by the multiple shots of the main character #TomHolland standing on top of the crown of the Statue of Liberty. According to China, it was a showcase of ā€˜American patriotismā€™. SONY allegedly refused such request immediately.

Doubtlessly, losing the Chinese market did not affect the box office of this movie much, as the Spideman film was ranked the sixth highest-selling movie in the film industry.

Based on multiple sources, the latest Doctor Strange movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, would also not be shown in China because of the appearance of ā€˜The Epoch Timesā€™ in the movie. If this is the case, #DoctorStrange would be the sixth #Marvel movie that was censored by China, consecutively.

[The other five were: Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home]

Nonetheless, the latest Doctor Strange movie will still be aired in Hong Kong.

Source: Strait Times; CBR #May2

https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/doctor-strange-sequel-may-be-latest-marvel-film-not-released-in-china-due-to-backlash

https://www.cbr.com/spider-man-no-way-home-china-statue-of-liberty-sony-refuse/

#Hollywood #Cinema #ChinaMarket #StatueofLiberty