On February 15th, the Starlight Agency and the Understanding Book Club held a screening event in San Jose, showcasing the documentaries “Check Up” and “The Hongkonger.” The director Zhu Rikun was invited to discuss the continuation of independent films and public cultural spaces under the transnational repression of the Chinese Communist Party, while also showing support for Jimmy Lai.
“Check Up” (2013, 21 minutes) documents Zhu Rikun and others being subjected to a late-night “check-up” by the police while voicing support for an independent candidate in Jiangxi, revealing the absurd scene of routine inspections creating fear and humiliation. Following the screening, Zhu Rikun shared his 20-year journey in promoting independent Chinese cinema, reflecting on the obstacles faced by overseas film festivals due to transnational pressure.
His planned inaugural “Chinese Independent Film Festival,” scheduled to take place in New York in November last year, with plans to screen 45 films and host discussions with multiple directors, was ultimately forced to cancel two days before the opening due to threats and pressure on organizers and participants, as well as harassment of some directors’ families in China.
Zhu Rikun expressed to the Epoch Times that he did not expect such significant interference from a small-scale film event. He plans to adjust the format for this year’s event, emphasizing diversity in the festival’s content, focusing on artistic expression without self-censorship or confrontation. He also expressed concerns for independent Chinese creators facing increasingly challenging environments and creative constraints and urged everyone to continue expressing themselves in different ways.
The documentary “The Hongkonger,” which was also screened that day, chronicles the life and activism of media entrepreneur and democratic advocate Jimmy Lai. The film depicts his journey from starting the Apple Daily newspaper from scratch to becoming one of the most vocal critics of Beijing in Hong Kong, gradually becoming a prominent figure in the democracy movement. Through interviews, historical footage, and records of his numerous arrests, the film showcases his unwavering spirit in upholding press freedom, democracy, and human rights beliefs under detention and political pressure.
The founder of Starlight Agency, Duan Jingji, expressed hope that through the screening event, the pressure faced by Zhu Rikun from transnational forces and the heavy sentencing of Jimmy Lai could be understood by more people, shedding light on the realities of restricted freedom of speech. She mentioned that many mainland Chinese people are not familiar with the situation in Hong Kong and Jimmy Lai, so the films serve as an introduction to their stories and impact. She also described “Check Up” as revealing the absurdity and oppression of the operation of power by the Chinese Communist Party through its repeated questioning scenes, highlighting Zhu Rikun’s experiences from China to overseas, emphasizing the challenges to freedom of speech.
Participants also spoke out about the case of Jimmy Lai. Zhou Fengsuo, co-founder of Humanitarian China and Director of China Human Rights Defenders, said that what should have been a joyous occasion turned somber when thinking about Jimmy Lai. He described Lai as a hero of integrity, who has paid a significant price for press freedom, facing a 20-year wrongful imprisonment at the age of 78, leaving people feeling powerless. However, he emphasized the importance of maintaining hope and faith in justice, continuing to advocate for him. He believed that the harsh sentence against Lai was retaliation for his long-standing commitment to press freedom and commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre, reflecting the Communist regime’s fear of the truth.
Pheng Thung Tak, Chairman of the China Democratic Education Foundation, recalled his interactions with Jimmy Lai through Apple Weekly in the 1990s and the foundation’s presentation of the “Outstanding Democratic Person” award to him in 1995. He believed that Jimmy Lai has become a symbol of freedom and conscience in Hong Kong, speaking out for democracy, willingly sacrificing personal interests. He called on the international community to strive for the Nobel Peace Prize to acknowledge Lai’s spirit in pursuing freedom for the people of Hong Kong.
Li Haifeng, one of the organizers of the documentary “The Hongkonger” event and head of the San Francisco chapter of China Democracy and Human Rights Alliance, expressed the heaviness felt when a 78-year-old like Jimmy Lai is sentenced to 20 years in prison. He admitted to knowing little about Jimmy Lai in the past but gained a deeper understanding of his experiences through the screening, hoping for more attention to be drawn to the current situation in Hong Kong and human rights issues.
In 2024, Zhang Zhanpeng, a post-00s generation who immigrated to the United States, mentioned that through accessing outside information via bypassing “the Great Firewall,” he realized the stark contrast between the situation in China and Hong Kong and the official narratives. He noted the gradual disappearance of democracy and the rule of law in Hong Kong, yet Jimmy Lai continues to speak out for freedom and is willing to sacrifice everything, earning his admiration and respect.