Hong Kong film legend Chow Yun-fat expressed that the city’s film industry lacks freedom due to China’s censorship requirements. He mentioned that Hong Kong filmmakers face many restrictions and difficulties but will continue to make movies with the Hong Kong spirit. Chow is the first prominent figure in the industry to publicly criticize China’s film approval system. The Hong Kong film industry has been struggling with piracy and competition from China, as well as Beijing’s tightened controls on free speech and expression. Hong Kong’s box office receipts pale in comparison to China’s. Joint productions between Hong Kong and China must meet certain criteria to be released in China, such as no sex, ghosts, monsters, or dirty cops content. Chow commended South Korea’s film industry for having creative freedom and recognized movies. He believes that the Korean film industry has broad thinking and strong creativity. Chow emphasized the importance of paying attention to Hong Kong’s government and direction in order to secure funding for films.
**Hong Kong Film Legend Chow Yun-fat Speaks Out Against China’s Censorship**
Hong Kong film icon Chow Yun-fat openly acknowledged the lack of freedom and creativity in the city’s film industry, which has been in decline. He spoke about the multiple layers of approval scripts have to go through, emphasizing the heavy restrictions faced by Hong Kong filmmakers. Despite these challenges, Chow expressed his determination to create films that embody the spirit of Hong Kong. He is the first prominent figure in the industry to publicly criticize China’s film approval system.
**Hong Kong Film Industry Struggles with Decline Amid Censorship and Competition**
Once at the forefront of Asian entertainment, Hong Kong’s film industry is slowly dying due to piracy and the competition from China’s flourishing industry. Additionally, Beijing’s tightening controls on free speech and expression have hindered creativity and led to a heavy reliance on Chinese investments for productions and commercial releases. Comparatively, Hong Kong’s box office receipts are only a fraction of what Chinese cinemas have amassed. Chow stressed the need for attention to the current government and the direction of the industry to secure funding and continue telling compelling stories.
**Chinese Film Censorship and Hong Kong-Korea Comparison**
The Hong Kong-China model in filmmaking has become the norm over the past two decades. Joint productions must adhere to China’s strict guidelines, which include avoiding explicit sex, supernatural elements, and corrupt police content. In contrast, Chow praised South Korean films for their creative freedom and diverse themes. He noted the Korean government’s support and the bold imagination and creativity exhibited by Korean filmmakers. Chow’s comments highlight the contrast between the limitations faced by Hong Kong filmmakers and the opportunities enjoyed by their Korean counterparts.
Note: The article was translated from RFA Cantonese and edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.
Source : Renowned HK actor laments China’s censorship hurts creativity