[2024.11.03] JOHNNIE TO ATTRIBUTES HIS PRODUCTION DECLINE TO LOSING HIS SOUL

Johnnie To speaks to BCC News about the reasons for his production reduction and scalping ELECTION 3

The Johnnie To directed 2005 film ELECTION won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 69 year old Johnnie To Kei Fung has been making movies for over 40 years and has countless works, but in recent years his production rate has been few. In a recent Chinese interview with BBC News, he revealed that due to the impact of the Hong Kong environment, he is at a low point in his life and has lost his soul. He would like to make another movie, but he could not start writing. He had a lot of questions but he was not out of talent. As for the third installment of the ELECTION (HAK SEH WUI) film series, he said that he has conceived it in 2010 but he felt that the social climate was not suitable and he shelved it.

To Kei Fung has won a total of 3 Hong Kong Film Awards and 3 Golden Horse Awards for Best Director, but his production has decreased significantly in recent years. His most recent solo effect was CHASING DREAM in 2019. In a BBC News interview, the host asked him the reason. He said that it was not that he did not want to make a film, but that he could not start writing. He said that due to the environment of Hong Kong, he is at the lowest point of his life. "I feel that people are so fragile; if something is moved and it is what you are used to, it would affect a lot of your thinking. In this environment, I used to have strong confidence in film conceptually; I have been feeling a lot of doubts in the past few years, in turn after coming up an idea once I would toss it out, coming up with another and tossing it out. I don't know how many times I have come up with them. Whether I want them or am I trying to fool myself, I can't find my true self."

To Kei Fung said that there is a movie that is currently being filmed, but the filming has been stop and go. Stopping after a few days of work, it only shot for a day in several months. He said that he was not out of talent, but he felt that he could not conjure up anything. The host asked what was the reason? He laughed and said, "I think you know more than I do." He sighed, "I have always insisted on filming in Hong Kong, Hong Kong is very important to me. I think that now there is no soul, including me and Hong Kong. I have to wait until some things to change my concept. Because when the values are different, many things feel wrong. Whether my values have to be completely changed, this is the big question for me." What was his original soul? He said, "Freedom, freedom of speech, simply said it's human rights and freedom. I think it's very different from the Hong Kong I've lived in for decades." He revealed that once he had many opportunities to film in foreign countries, but turned down many opportunities to work with foreign film companies. He said, "The reason is that I can't even grasp the culture of Hong Kong, the place where I grew up; how do I depict other people's things? The current situation in Hong Kong, the film industry and all aspects of the arts, is not a good period. If everyone leave, I would feel that they betrayed Hong Kong in my world, but I don't know what to do if I stay." Is he going through the most difficult period? He said it probably is, "In the past, not having money doesn't mean that there was no ideal. Maybe I am not used to it, let's see if I can continue my own film world, conquer myself, or learn how to do it."

Speaking of the ELECTION (HAK SEH WUI) film series he directed, many people are concerned about when the third installment will be filmed? To Kei Fung revealed that the script was conceived as early as 2010. He once wanted to start filming ELECTION 3 before filming LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE (DUET MING GUM), but at that time he felt that the social climate was not very suitable, due to various reasons it were shelved. "The plot I thought about in the film really happened, no need for me to go into the details". He believed that even the underworld has changed. If he would return to make the film, it might not necessarily be this subject. He must have a tight grasp on the pulse of the times, which was the creator's feeling of the times. Perhaps he might be able to make it in 2034, as he waited for Hong Kong to give the feeling back to him again. The host asked that in the past "Fresh Wave" had many short films that have not yet passed the inspection in competition. To Kei Fung pointed out that the censorship was not only limited to the film industry, but the whole society also faced "a line". He urged young filmmakers to "be smarter with the creative route they take". He believed that there were rules to follow. if you want to persist, it would be your choice.