In an interview with BBC Chinese, Johnnie To, a famous Hong Kong director, said frankly that Hong Kong is currently facing a severe test of creative freedom. He compared himself and Hong Kong to a soulless existence, and this soul refers to human rights and freedom. Johnnie To believes that Hong Kong filmmakers are facing huge creative challenges when facing the conflict between politics and art.

The common dilemma of film and Hong Kong: the loss of soul

The 69-year-old Johnnie To has an irreplaceable position in Hong Kong and the Chinese film industry. With works such as "Election", "PTU" and "Overheard", he has won the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards many times, and has served as a judge at international film festivals many times. However, this outstanding director admitted that in recent years he felt that both he and Hong Kong had "lost their souls". In his view, the soul of Hong Kong - freedom and human rights - is gradually being eroded.

Johnnie To mentioned that the third episode of "Election" has always been the movie he wanted to make, but due to the current environment, he has been unable to start filming. He said that he was facing the constraints of creative freedom and the red line of film censorship, and the freedom of Hong Kong films is no longer as free as before. In this atmosphere, Hong Kong filmmakers are facing unprecedented difficulties in creation.

The end of "Fresh Wave": the growth platform for new directors is lost

For many years, Johnnie To has been committed to supporting new directors in Hong Kong, especially at the "Fresh Wave" International Short Film Festival founded in 2005, where many new generation Hong Kong directors have found opportunities for development. However, in 2024, this long-standing project failed to receive funding from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. This is a heavy blow to Johnnie To, who said it reflects the government's lack of confidence in film creation. "Fresh Wave" is not only the cradle of filmmakers, but also part of the soul of Hong Kong films. Now that the government has stopped funding, the future of Hong Kong films is becoming increasingly uncertain.

The Hong Kong government responded that the revised "Film Censorship Ordinance" did not restrict freedom of expression, but Johnnie To was reserved about this. He believes that many filmmakers have begun to shift their creative focus overseas to avoid strict censorship, but this is undoubtedly a huge loss to the future development of Hong Kong films.

The collision of freedom and box office: the red line of film creation

In the interview, Johnnie To talked about the fate of Hong Kong films in the new era. He pointed out that there are still many movies with good box office performance in recent years, but this does not mean that creative freedom has not been affected. Johnnie To believes that the box office of a movie should not be the standard for evaluating creative freedom, but whether it can retain the independence of art under diverse expressions. In his eyes, Hong Kong movies should be works that explore social issues and touch the depths of human nature, rather than compromises just for the sake of box office.

Johnnie To mentioned that Hong Kong filmmakers used to be able to express complex political or social topics in their works, but now, as Hong Kong and the mainland's cultural policies are getting closer, the subject matter of movies is increasingly restricted. Johnnie To believes that creators are facing a contradiction between censorship and artistic expression, which makes people full of uncertainty about the future of Hong Kong movies.

Overseas development: the way out for new Hong Kong films

As more and more new generation Hong Kong directors turn their attention to overseas, the way out for "new Hong Kong films" is gradually emerging. In Johnnie To's view, these directors' attempts overseas will help broaden the creative space of Hong Kong films, but it may also cause the films to gradually deviate from Hong Kong's local characteristics and become symbols of globalization. He expressed his understanding of the development of young directors overseas, but also reminded them not to lose the core spirit of Hong Kong films. He said that Hong Kong films are unique because they have both oriental delicacy and a global vision, and can deeply reflect the reality of local culture, rather than just catering to market demand.

The future of Hong Kong films: Finding space in the squeeze

Johnnie To is not only worried about the future of his own works, but also about the future of the entire Hong Kong film industry. The current political environment restricts creation, but Johnnie To hopes that Hong Kong filmmakers can continue to stick to their own way of expression in this dilemma. He frankly said that filmmakers need to find a breakthrough when the creative space is gradually squeezed. This is not only a topic for Hong Kong films, but also a common problem for all filmmakers who seek development in constraints.

Johnnie To concluded: "Movies are not only entertainment, they are a medium that reflects social reality." He hopes that Hong Kong's creative power can find a way out and continue to move forward without losing the cultural soul.

In this difficult game, Johnnie To and Hong Kong filmmakers share challenges. Their persistence is not only a persistence in art, but also a desire for human rights and freedom. Whether Hong Kong films can get out of their current predicament and find new vitality may require more filmmakers to be as persistent and uncompromising as Johnnie To.