National security law: Hong Kong censors told to ban films that breach Beijing-imposed legislation
- Under new guidelines, censors must determine whether films support or promote acts of subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces
- But some industry figures warn creativity could suffer in industry once known as ‘Hollywood of the Far East’
According to amended guidelines gazetted on Friday for censors under the Film Censorship Ordinance, public screening of films will not be allowed if they are found to be “endorsing, supporting, promoting, glorifying or inciting” acts of subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces.
Some film professionals and commentators raised concerns about the implications of the new policy on the film sector, suggesting that creativity and freedom of expression would suffer in an industry once dubbed the “Hollywood of the Far East” being subject to the same political restraints as in mainland China.
A local cinema was pressured into scrapping the screening of a documentary on the fierce clashes between police and radical protesters occupying the Hong Kong Polytechnic University at the height of the social unrest, while the M+ Museum in the city’s cultural hub came under similar pressure not to show exhibits deemed to be anti-China art.
In a separate development on Friday, organisers of the Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival, which nurtures local young film talent, cancelled its screenings for Far From Home, saying the Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration had failed to to issue either a certificate of approval or notice of refusal to approve in time.
