A documentary about a prominent Hong Kong journalist has been pulled from an international film festival, offering a stark reminder of the territory’s constricting space for artistic expression. “A Single Spark A Little Blaze” (星星之火・不可燎原), featuring former Journalists Association chairman Ronson Chan (陳朗昇), was withdrawn from all screenings of the inaugural Ying E Chi Independent Short Film Award after “interviewees faced pressure,” organizers announced Tuesday.
“We remain in Hong Kong. If trouble comes, it could destroy families and separate loved ones,” Mr. Chan told Photon Media (光傳媒), a Hong Kong exile media outlet, explaining his reluctance to detail specific threats. The film was among 12 finalists selected from 165 global submissions by Hong Kong filmmakers. Vincent Chui (崔允信), former artistic director of Ying E Chi (影意志), expressed deep disappointment but maintained optimism that the work would eventually be shown in Hong Kong. “I’ve always believed that day will come,” he was quoted as saying in Chaser News, another exile outlet.
Chui’s organization, which relocated to Taiwan after disbanding in Hong Kong last October, still plans to hold screenings in Taiwan, the United States, Canada and Britain next month.
