In recent years, a documentary film titled “Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law?” documenting Nathan Law’s advocacy for human rights and freedom in Hong Kong has been screening in community cinemas in cities like San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. On September 19th, director Joe Piscatella and Nathan Law participated in a post-screening discussion at Laemmle Royal theater in Los Angeles, sharing the joys and challenges of filming and producing the documentary.
“Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law?” premiered at the Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto last May, becoming one of the audience’s favorites. The film made its debut on PBS on September 23 and has received widespread acclaim, offering Western audiences a different perspective on the Chinese Communist Party through the lens of Hong Kong’s democracy and freedom struggle, helping them understand the dangers of CCP’s authoritarianism to the world.
The documentary mainly follows Nathan Law’s political career over the past decade – from the Umbrella Movement to his election as a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council and subsequent imprisonment for involvement in the “Umbrella Movement.” After his exile following the anti-extradition movement, Nathan Law experienced political turmoil alongside Hongkongers. He remarked, “I think this film tells a story about the people of Hong Kong.”
Piscatella got to know Nathan Law through filming the documentary “Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower.” He described the biggest challenge in making this film was racing against time due to the Hong Kong National Security Law. Once the law came into effect, the film crew couldn’t continue shooting in Hong Kong. Additionally, due to the chilling effect of the law, many sensitive materials were unusable to protect those involved. He expressed relief that the film was successfully completed and screened despite the challenges.
“I hope the audience does not forget about Hong Kong,” Piscatella said. Despite conflicts in places like Ukraine and the Middle East, he hoped this film would continue to educate people about Hong Kong and how remarkable the city is.
Whether Hongkongers or mainland Chinese, leaving their homeland for overseas doesn’t guarantee safety from CCP’s transnational suppression.
Nathan Law noted, “We’ve seen infiltrations during protests, with some ‘little pinks’ appearing; there have been espionage cases at the ‘Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office’ in the UK, and personnel from China’s consulate attacking protesters.” These incidents highlight CCP’s readiness to flex its muscles overseas. He cautioned democratic supporters overseas to be vigilant against CCP to avoid harm.
As for who is afraid of Nathan Law, he kept the answer open-ended. He believed it could be CCP leaders or certain authoritarian figures. Anyone who suppresses and harms democracy advocates for political power actually fears the strength they represent.
Nathan Law emphasized, “The so-called Nathan Law does not refer to just me alone but represents the movement and the group of individuals fighting for democracy and freedom.” He hoped audiences would find their own answers after watching this documentary.
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