Acclaimed director Johnnie To has weighed in on the censorship and funding challenges facing the Hong Kong film industry during an in-conversation event with Japanese filmmaker Yu Irie at Tokyo International Film Festival today (October 31).
The Hong Kong filmmaker, known for crime features such as Election, Exiled and Drug War, told the assembled audience that his once booming local industry is becoming “smaller and smaller in scale”.
Highlighting a lack of financial support, To pointed to the cutting of government funding for the Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival, which he founded in 2005 to nurture young talent. But he also flagged censorship to last year’s programme and urged rising director to take action by realising their vision, rather than sitting on the sidelines.
“Filmmakers cannot be bystanders,” he said. “They have to take action in a smart way.
“There is a lot of regulation in Hong Kong, especially when it comes to expression. You have to think carefully about what you are going to say.”
To, who is a member of the international competition jury at this year’s TIFF, also suggested there are opportunities for directors to create films outside of Hong Kong in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia or Japan.
Speaking about the future of Hong Kong cinema, To shared his hope that more financiers will invest in Hong Kong features to improve their future and stressed the importance of passing the torch to the next generation.
“I’m going to be 70 soon,” said To, who has not made a feature since 2019’s Chasing Dream. “Maybe I can keep working for 10 years, but after that I probably won’t be able to do much.”
To played twice in Competition at Cannes with Election in 2005 and Vengeance in 2009, and three times at Venice with Exiled (2006), Mad Detective (2007) and Life Without Principle (2011).
Shooting without a script
During the conversation – part of the festival’s TIFF Lounge sessions – he also reflected on his long career in cinema and unique filmmaking style with Irie, who is the director of focus at the year’s TIFF..
Irie, who last saw To in person at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival in 2010, shared his amazement that one of his favourites, Exiled, was shot without a script.
“Actually, about 10 of my films have been made without scripts,” responded To, adding that when he casts a film, he searches for actors who are strong improvisors, and that his actors would understood his intentions for the film about one-third into the shoot.
“That’s my style, but I can’t say I recommend it to young directors,” said To.
The longtime director, who made his directorial debut in 1980 with The Enigmatic Case and co-founded production company Milkyway Image in 1996, cited Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa as one of his biggest inspirations.
“He was great at creating ambience and environment and dramatizing it,” said To. “When you look at the screen you feel tension, wondering what’s going to happen next.”
TIFF programming director Shozo Ichiyama, who moderated the conversation, asked To if it is true that he often shoots two films at any given time. The filmmaker responded that it is sometimes three. The director described a system in which he shoots only when inspiration strikes, often leaving a film sitting for two or three months before starting up again.
The director also described 1995, the year before he founded Milkway Image with partner Wai Ka-Fai, as one in which he thought deeply about what kind of films he would make in the future, if any.
“For one year I didn’t shoot anything,” said To. “I was reflecting upon what I wanted to do, asking myself why I make films. One reason the company was established was to remind myself how I want to go forward in this industry, to make original, creative films.”
To added that during the year when he wasn’t making movies he busied himself by producing a record.
A question from Irie about To’s 1990 film All About Ah-Long, which features a motorcycle race in its climax, prompted a recollection of shooting that scene, which involved an $8,000 payout to a stuntman, broken fingers, and a stunt so potentially dangerous that To could not bring himself to look at the monitor while it was being shot. He later confirmed with his cinematographer that the take went well.
“At that time, Hong Kong films came up because so many people worked so hard,” said To. “Hong Kong films of the 1980s shined brightly thanks to those efforts.”
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