[2025.12.21] JOHNNIE TO SAYS THAT FRESH WAVE IS UNDER GREAT FINANCIAL PRESSURE

Johnnie To says that Fresh Wave will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year so it would have to be made a "big deal"

Herman Yau says that he has had to face the censorship problem since the start of his career.
courtesy of mingpao.com

Johnnie To Kei Fung and Herman Yau Lai To yesterday attended the 19th Fresh Wave International Short Film Local Competition Award presentations. The Fresh Wace Film Festival Co. Ltd. chair To Kei Fung said before presenting the "Fresh Wave Award" to the director of "28", Erica Kwok Chung Yee, he said that the financial pressure was very high. He especially thanked Louis Koo Tin Lok for his secret help, hoping to continue to meet everyone smoothly in the 20th edition.

To Kei Fung said that the winners are still far from the word "breakthrough", just as it is impossible to ask the new generation to fix the atomic bomb now. He said that the amount of money given to the participants was not enough, and he would work harder to find help and raise enough funds. "I believe that with the hard work of my colleagues, I would be able to handle it well in these two or three years. I hope to give more opportunities to the younger generation. He said that the event has not provide enough for the participants' productions. Next year he would work even harder to find help and donations. "I believe that after the colleagues' hard work, we should be able to get through these few years. I hope to give more opportunities to the younger generations. Now I have 'grab the water'. Everyone knows how bad the situation in Hong Kong is now, and I think it's a pity that they don't have such an opportunity to try; but as long as they practice martial arts well, other places in Asian still have a lot of opportunities. Next year for the 20th anniversary of course the event would be made into a 'bigger deal', now we have to 'grab the money'. I hoped that those who have won awards for years would participate, but such an enormous one would depend on the budget.

To Kei Fung gave special thanks to Louis Koo Tin Lok, saying that it was difficult to find help in this environment. "Now the world is very selective, it's not whether you are good or not, but whether you are chosen or not. When you go to such a world, many people have to secretly help first. It's not so easy, the road has been difficult for several years. I hope the environment will change in the future, so that free creators have a way to go, you must have confidence. Last year I have said that I would tough it out until 80 years old. Now I am 70 years old, but if I really can't handle it I would be really sorry." He said that society has been turning, and today we don't know what will happen tomorrow. "In the course of my life, I feel that everything is inevitable sometimes. No matter how hard you try, some things don't work. Sometimes you can't say it's okay, you have to have hope."

To Kei Fung joked that he was very lazy, most of the time were spent on feeding the birds instead of work. The movie in which Anson Lo Hon Ting participated in only filmed for 10 days in 3 years, "I have to finish filming as soon as possible. I feel embarrassed, but I have other things to do recently." How Long would you want Tony Leung Chiu Wai (Wai Jai) to wait before starting the collaboration? He said, "I haven't talked about filming with Wai Jai, it's still not very clear. Of course it would be the best to have the opportunity to work with Wai Jai, I hope we can make another good movie. It depends on the timing, I don't know if it will be filmed in Japan. I would have to write the script first, which takes time."

To Kei Fung has not noticed Kiwi Chow Koon Wai's new film DEADLINE (JI SAT TUNG GO) wanted to know the reason why it was not approved for release after it was sent for inspection for 4 months and in the end was banned from release due to 4 month for inspection. In the end due to national security issues a release was not approved. The script would have to be written first. Would this situation worry the industry? To said that now he worried about a lot more, just let it be. If he said everything had its time. While it would not affect the start of the film, but the mood would be affected. He has no direction, so he would settle and learn. Yau Lai To said that the industry certainly wanted to know the clear reasons for not being approved for release. Since he entered the industry, he has to face censorship problems. The standards were sometimes tight and sometimes loose, this time they would have to face how to resolve it.