New film shot in Taiwan by ‘Our Times’ director blocked by HK film board

New film shot in Taiwan by ‘Our Times’ director blocked by HK film board

2025-11-12

"Revolution of Our Times" director Kiwi Chow has run afoul of the Hong Kong government’s red lines many times before. As preparation for his latest film also encountered some snags, he decided to shoot it in Taiwan instead. It was released in Taiwan earlier this month, and it has received a huge response. But it still hasn’t been approved for release in Hong Kong since Chow applied with the film board three months ago, leaving him feeling helpless.

Hong Kong film star Anthony Wong, Golden Bell winner Bai Run-yin, and drama actress Allison Lin all star in this dark campus drama in which a high-pressure education ignites an irreversible crisis. But given the sensitive subject matter, director Kiwi Chow said he encountered numerous problems during preproduction and filming in Hong Kong.

Kiwi Chow
Hong Kong director
I made “Revolution of Our Times.” So when I started planning for “Deadline,” I not only had trouble finding actors, but even had trouble securing a middle school to film at in Hong Kong. No one was willing to rent me a venue. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back that made me decide to come to Taiwan.

Worried they will face repercussions from Hong Kong authorities, many actors weren’t willing to take the roles, and schools hesitated to rent out their facilities. On top of this, director Kiwi Chow—known for his politically charged films “Revolution of Our Times” and “Ten Years”—has a tenuous status.

Kiwi Chow
Hong Kong director
The films on their own are fine. But I made “Our Times.” Hong Kong targets individuals, not their products. Now it’s screening in Taiwan. The contrast is stark.

Although filming has long since wrapped in Taiwan, the Hong Kong film administration has yet to approve it for screening three months since they applied, showing the intense political pressure filmmakers are under in the territory.

Kiwi Chow
Hong Kong director
In Taiwan, I don’t need to worry about being arrested. I don’t need to worry that the film will be pulled, or that some other disaster will come. In Taiwan, I can focus and enjoy myself. This is where Taiwan’s freedom lies. It gives me a sense of freedom.

Luckily, the film found new life in Taiwan, and has now even been released to enthusiastic response. Chow commended the actors’ performances and had high praise for the production environment in Taiwan, saying he hopes to film more movies here in the future.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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#KiwiChow #HongKong #film #filmmaking #director #RevolutionofOurTimes #TenYears #Deadline #filmproduction #censorship #politicalpressure

"時代革命"導演來台拍電影周冠威:新作送香港電檢局仍卡關

2025-11-12

曾拍過"時代革命"的香港導演周冠威，多次挑戰香港政治紅線，新作品籌備過程也遭到卡關，讓他毅然決定改到台灣拍攝，如今電影在台灣上映引發廣大迴響，但作品送回香港電檢局審核三個月，仍未過關，讓他相當無奈。

香港影帝黃秋生、金鐘童星白潤音、台劇女神林予晞，合體演出暗黑校園劇，劇情描述在菁英高壓教育下，引爆一場難以挽回的校園風暴，不過由於涉及議題敏感，導演周冠威透露電影在香港籌備拍攝過程，困難重重。

[[香港導演周冠威]]
“我拍過"時代革命"電影，當我想籌備"自殺通告"，不單只是找演員很困難，在香港連中學都借不到，沒有人願意借給我拍攝，這算是壓垮駱駝的最後一根稻草，也讓我決定來台灣。”

就怕受到香港當局關切牽連，許多香港演員不敢演，甚至連學校也不敢出借場地，再加上導演周冠威，曾拍攝過"時代革命"、"十年"等政治相關議題，身分敏感。

[[香港導演周冠威]]
“個片沒有問題，但是我拍過"時代革命"的人，香港對人不對事。同時間台灣正在上映，反差很大。”

儘管電影已經在台灣拍攝完畢，送往香港電檢局審核長達三個月，依舊卡關，這也凸顯影視產業在香港面臨嚴重的政治壓迫。

[[香港導演周冠威]]
“(在台灣)我不需要擔心我有被拘捕的可能，我不需要擔心這部片會不會被取消，或者會有什麼災難，在台灣我可以很專注和享受，這是台灣自由的地方，自由的一個感覺給我。”

所幸作品在台灣重生，甚至順利拍攝上映，引發觀眾熱烈迴響，周冠威也對台灣演員們的表現，與製作環境給予高度肯定，他也期待未來有機會在台灣拍出更多有意義的作品。

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