Kiwi Chow: Honesty Is My Bottom Line
Translated by BeWater HK on Apr 4, 2022Excerpt of Meet Kiwi CHOW Kwun-Wai, Director of “Revolution of Our Times” (@RoOT_film), at Zhongshan District Causeway Bay Books
Host: The “Siege of Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)” marked the waning of the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) Movement. We invite the Director for comments on how the failed encounter at PolyU affected the Anti-ELAB protesters.
Chow: The “Siege of PolyU” was covered in the documentary. They (the protesters) had persevered for an extended time. They were so exhausted, both physically and psychologically, that they had to leave, notwithstanding their unwillingness to give up or retreat. (Taking a deep breath) From June to November, for so many months they withstood tear gas and their bodies were telling them something.
The documentary tells the same story. They had no choice other than giving up as their bodies reached the limits. Psychologically? Even worse (another deep breath). As human, they had been suffering for almost half a year. When it came to (the siege of) PolyU, they even had to escape by creeping through sewage pipes. What sort of physical experience would that be? They were completely worn out, both physically and mentally, with no energy left. This was torturous.
Human have limits. I feel that our fellow brothers and sisters have reached their limits at (Siege of) PolyU. If you ask me, I did not have the heart to ask them to continue to drive the movement and keep fighting on. Give them a break! Are you not aware that they were worn out?
My documentary presents only a glimpse of the total picture. What you read from the news also covered only a small fraction. I am unable to show everything I witnessed. I know they suffered a lot, way more and worse than what you saw in the documentary and on TV. (Choking and holding back tears)
It was not the pandemic that stopped them. They had reached their limits and many of them were young kids, high school students and undergraduates. Many experienced trauma, had psychological issues and even physical trauma. If you know what they had gone through – which I am not able to present to you and I do not have any footage – you will share my view that it is only natural (that they stopped). Some of them refused to be interviewed. It didn’t matter to me and they should seek help from psychiatrists and social workers. I could not interview those who had more serious trauma than whom I interviewed.
Host: After the pandemic and implementation of National Security Law (NSL), what do you think? How will Hongkongers’ fighting for freedom and democracy fare? Will there be protests of a similar scale to the Anti-ELAB movement?
Chow: NSL is a different ball game. Now we see no helpers. People are staying back, one after one, one after one. The momentum (of the social movement) has now halted. Nevertheless the seeds planted and the suffering of Hongkongers will not go to waste. At this moment I cannot see the possibilities of any further development. At this point of time, can anyone in Hong Kong even chant “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times” as printed on your poster (in this bookstore)? No one is allowed to do so in public (sigh).
I do not see any possibilities of the movement keep going in the short term. Frankly I do not want Hongkongers to experience another (trauma). What I want most, or most ideally, is an unexpected miracle. This is not an irrational hope. Only a miracle can change the current situation, but sorry, I haven’t seen one yet. You may think I am foolish and idealistic. I do hope for a miracle. Maybe heaven will give Hongkongers something or a development beyond my imagination. I am longing for that day.
Host: Director, the shooting of “Revolutions of Our Times” started on 31st August, 2019. Before that you considered yourself a peaceful and non-violent protester. However at that time your wife was pregnant and you had a child to look after. So you could not join the “valiant” protesters. Can you elaborate your struggles between being a peaceful non-violent protester and a valiant protester?
Chow: What? I didn’t have any struggle. I am a peaceful non-violent protester all the time (cackle)! In fact – I know, it is society’s fault (laugh).
Look at Hong Kong society, look at the ever-increasing oppression. Even for a peaceful non-violent protester like me, merely by having shot a documentary, I become a frontline “valiant” protester in their eyes. What does it mean? Very common things that we used to be able to do freely are being suppressed – now more and more so. For example, we can no longer say “Revolution of Our Times” freely. These days I cannot shoot a documentary which was my usual work. Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), a public body, will not sell me footages. Their footages are public resources which in the past I could access by paying a fee. It is now not possible. Media nowadays are all pro-government. If they are not, they are all exterminated. Some journalists are even jailed.
I can understand where your question comes from. However I do not want to follow their line of thinking. Why should I be bound by the red lines set by them? Up to this moment I am still a peaceful non-violent person. I have never involved in any valiant acts. I was only shooting a documentary. I resist the red lines which are products of the rule by law. No one knows where the red lines are. I ask myself to be honest and that is my bottom line. If being honest can be risky, I still will stick to my bottom line. I will not lie. This is my stance, my principle. To answer your question, I will not swear, nor get very upset. I do not want to be seen as provocative. Nevertheless, I will stay honest. I will bear any risks which being honest may bring.
If I attempt to find where the red lines lie, fear will get into my mind. If I yield, bit by bit I will eventually give way to all. Many suggested me to change the film title. Others advised against incorporating that song (in the documentary). Many urged me to remove the final chapter. These ways I would be a lot safer. I declined each and every one of these suggestions. If I give in, I might as well not have a documentary at all. It is extremely easy to find whatever excuses in the documentary to arrest me. The first few convicted cases under NSL were simply about chanting a few slogans in the media, at a street stall or on web broadcast. All are sentenced to imprisonment. So you either do it or you don’t.
The red lines are moving goal posts suiting the political needs. There is no point to guess where they are. For instance, at this point of time I am still fine. I do not know if this is logical or illogical. It seems to be both logical and illogical at the same time. Everything is so twisted in Hong Kong these days. I will do as much as I can. I am psychologically prepared. I have also engaged a lawyer and given my family members the lawyer’s contact number. This is adequate. I am myself again.
What I insist most is to stay in Hong Kong. Some may think about leaving Hong Kong for freedom. Sure. However I prefer to look at freedom from another perspective. A free soul is another form of freedom. Even if I leave Hong Kong, I would still be living in fear – I could have left out of fear, my fear could come from launching this documentary around the world. If I were to be afraid, it would be the same wherever I go. I would rather stay in Hong Kong. I choose a free soul and insist so. In case I am detained, I believe I will be able to handle. I am free and at peace in my heart.
Source: https://youtu.be/sMLeApx5wVY
P.S. Kiwi Chow had interviewed many people during the production of “Revolutions of Our Times”, too many to be covered in the documentary. The production team thus compiled the interview records into a book titled People in ''Revolution of Our Times''. Not the entire record is covered in the book to protect the interviewees. Chow hopes that one day more can be unveiled. By then there will be an enlarged edition.
To order the book People in ''Revolution of Our Times'', visit