Explained: Hong Kong proposes changes to film censorship law, expands ongoing crackdown on political dissent

Hong Kong authorities on Tuesday said they plan to amend a film censorship law to forbid screenings of movies deemed contrary to national security. The changes to Hong Kong’s Film Censorship Ordinance The proposed changes to Hong Kong’s Film Censorship Ordinance would step up censorship of movies in the semi-autonomous city, expanding an ongoing crackdown on political dissent that has led to the closure of various pro-democracy organisations and the arrests of dozens of activists. Authorities have embarked on a sweeping crackdown to root out Beijing’s critics after huge and often violent democracy protests convulsed the city two years ago. The amendments would require a censor to determine whether a film contains elements that endanger national security. Authorities previously announced in June that the city’s censorship board would check any future films for content that breached the security law. But on Tuesday they unveiled a new hardened censorship law which would also cover any titles that had previously been given a green light. The changes would apply to films made in Hong Kong as well as those produced elsewhere. Hong Kong’s film industry is widely known for directors such as Wong Kar-wai, Tsui Hark, John Woo and Stanley Kwan and actors including Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat, Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung. Those who violate the ordinance and screen banned movies could face up to three years in jail and a fine of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($128,400). Statement from the authorities The amendments this time are simple and straightforward. The aim is to consolidate our legal foundation regarding film censorship work so as to prevent acts against national security. Under the proposed legislative amendments giving the chief secretary power to revoke the certificates of approval previously issued for films, there is a chance that past movies could be banned from public screening,” Edward Yau, secretary for commerce and economic development, said at a news conference Tuesday, according to South China Morning Post. The impact of this law if passed The changes to the law, if passed, take the city a step closer to censorship levels in mainland China, where authorities have the power to block movies, TV shows and content deemed politically sensitive or contrary to the values of the Chinese Communist Party. The Hollywood Reporter writes that if this law is passed then a number of political themed films and documentaries will be banned, which could be a problem for streaming services like Prime Video and Netflix. Joshua: Teenager vs Superpower, a 2017 documentary about the pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong and the dystopian anthology drama Ten Years would potentially be bumped from Netflix’s roster. (With inputs from agencies)