Hong Kong director Johnnie To, who is currently serving as a judge at the Tokyo International Film Festival, recently gave an interview to the BBC. When asked about the lack of new works in recent years, the 69-year-old To responded that it was not due to a lack of desire to make films, but rather a lack of creative freedom that made it difficult for him to start new projects.
To, who has won three Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Director and three Taiwan Golden Horse Awards for Best Director, is the first Hong Kong director to be invited as the main competition judge at the three major international film festivals – Venice Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and Berlin Film Festival. Despite his notable decrease in creative output in recent years, his latest personal directorial film was in 2019 with “Chasing My Girlfriends”.
In a video released by BBC on November 2nd, To expressed, “Recently has been the lowest point in my life.” He mentioned feeling as if he has lost his soul along with Hong Kong due to external influences. To revealed that he has faced numerous doubts in his scriptwriting process, with many ideas being conceived and abandoned. Although he is currently working on a film, he finds himself hesitatingly questioning if it is a sign of creative exhaustion.
When pressed about the reasons behind his struggles, To wryly replied, “I think you know.” He then candidly touched upon the issue of “creative freedom,” emphasizing how it differs greatly from his experiences living in Hong Kong for several decades.
During his time as a judge at the Berlin Film Festival last year, To criticized authoritarian regimes for stifling film freedom. He emphasized that films serve as a voice for the people, and in the presence of tyranny, dictators will inevitably crack down on the film industry. He called on freedom-loving countries and individuals worldwide to support the film industry.
A significant detail that sparked global attention was To inadvertently saying, “I think Hong Kong…” before swiftly correcting himself to “global…”. Despite not explicitly mentioning “China”, he still faced backlash from mainland Chinese internet users labelling him as “insulting China” and associating him with “Hong Kong independence”.
Chinese media outlet “Tencent News” published an article with the headline “Renowned Director Johnnie To Ice-Cold! Banned for Making Improper Remarks, 9 Films in Limbo”. The article claimed that To crossed the Chinese Communist Party’s “red line” with his remarks. It also stated that with 9 unreleased films, including titles like “The Big Era”, “Three Destinies”, “Street of Tears”, “Fatal Case”, “Covering Eyes to See Red Light”, “The King of Kings”, “Demon Catcher”, and “In the Qing Dynasty”, actors such as Andy Lau, Anthony Wong, Lam Ka-tung, and Kara Wai are involved. The article suggested that To’s personal account had been shut down, and his 9 associated films might suffer as a consequence.
In June 2019, the Golden Horse Awards committee in Taiwan announced To as the chairman of the 56th Golden Horse Awards jury. However, on September 20th of the same year, To cited restrictions from the production contracts of a new film as the reason for stepping down as the chairman, without specifying the particular film. This incident led many to speculate a connection with the previous boycott actions from the Chinese National Film Bureau towards the Golden Horse Awards.
Even though To enjoys a reputable presence in the international film industry, he disclosed turning down many opportunities to work abroad. He explained, “If I can’t even grasp the culture of my own birthplace, Hong Kong, how can I learn from others or depict their culture?” Feeling torn between leaving Hong Kong, which he considers his homeland, and not knowing his place if he stays, To expressed a sense of being at odds with his surroundings.
The interview also touched upon To’s acclaimed work with the “Election” series, with rumors swirling over fan anticipation for a third installment. To revealed that the original script had been conceptualized as early as 2010 but was ultimately shelved due to various reasons. He delicately implied, “In 2010, I knew I could make it, but the societal climate at that time was not suitable, and the incidents designed in the script actually came to pass.” He expressed a somber view that the present-day triad world lacks the brotherly bonds of the past. Despite his pessimism, To did not rule out the possibility of completing the series in the future.