Hong Kong: City on Fire

  • Documentary
11/22/2022
90

Storyline

Taking us from Hong Kong's 1997 handover from British rule into Chinese administrative control, all the way to 2019, when a controversial extradition bill is greeted with massive street protests, this urgent film beds in with Hong Kong's pro-democracy demonstrations, offering a frontline portrait of four young protesters through a year of struggle. We see their hopes for a freer life and feel their fears as the authorities crack down. Pulse-racing scenes bring the viewer to street level, where peaceful protest is met with fury and tear gas. Clear-eyed about the complications and contradictions that come with a movement that changed Hong Kong forever, Hong Kong: City on Fire is a brave document of troubled times.

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    • Geronimo1967

      I was really disappointed with this documentary. Set amidst the protests in Hong Kong against the increasingly oppressive action of the Chinese central government, we follow the activities of the students who are trying to put up some meaningful and effective resistance. Some of the imagery is effective - the overwhelming force of the well-equipped police against an intentionally leaderless coalition of youngsters is well illustrated, but there is little informed analysis here. It is really just a collection of user-generated video without any attempt to create a narrative that contextualise who is doing what. The risks taken by the protesters when balanced against their family and relationship commitments is referenced, but not developed a...

      November 23, 2022

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