Kiwi Chou, the director of acclaimed Hong Kong protest documentary “Revolution of Our Times”, met with reporters ahead of the theatrical release of his film in Taiwan later this month.
“Revolution of Our Times”, a documentary on the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, is opening in Taiwanese theaters on February 25. It has received two Golden Horse awards – for best documentary and audience choice. Taiwan is currently the only country where the movie is being released in theaters. The director of the film, Kiwi Chou, met with journalists in the form of a teleconference.
He says he is extremely happy and grateful that there is a place like Taiwan where his documentary can be shown freely.
Chou says that over the two years of filming, he witnessed both tragedy, as well as the greatness of human spirit. Initially, he says he was tormented by strong emotions and nightmares, but found solace in the process of making the film, and no longer lives with the feeling of dread. Chou says he is expecting the worst, but continues to do what needs to be done, which gives him peace.
Chou told reporters a story from his early days at the frontlines of the protests. A masked protester demanded to know which station he was working for. He responded that he was one of the directors of “Ten Years”, a dystopian speculative fiction anthology depicting life in Chinese-run Hong Kong in 2025. The protester approved, having seen the movie, and encouraged Chou to keep filming.
Chou says that the once progressive city of Hong Kong has now regressed into authoritarianism. He urges Taiwan to take this lesson to heart and cherish the freedoms it enjoys.