When Hong Kong returned to Chinese control in 1997 it was done under an agreement which allowed the city to continue to exercise the rights granted it under the British. Over the last five years the people of Hong Kong have felt these rights slipping away as Beijing imposed its will in the form of censorship and refusing to relinquish its right to choose the cities government. An independent film released last year has given the people of Hong Kong a lesson in power, control, political pressure and self censorship.
Ten Years – the terrifying vision of Hong Kong that Beijing wants obscured
A dystopian independent film has played to packed houses but after Chinese criticism it has disappeared from public screens
It has been hailed as one of the best films to come out of Hong Kong in decades, playing to packed houses and picking up nominations for two major Asian awards.
But if you want to see the independent production Ten Years the only places are private showings advertised through Facebook.
As Beijing steps up its crackdown on political dissent, the film’s disappearance has left some moviegoers scratching their heads and wondering whether the long hand of the mainland authorities may be responsible.
The timing of attacks from the mainland and the content of Ten Years appears to bear this out.
The film is a dystopian narrative composed of five short stories in which Hong Kong has been totally taken over by China to the point that neither the language, Cantonese, nor local agricultural products can be freely used.
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