Realism and Vision: The "Hong Kong Trilogy" Speaks for Hong Kong

The [Hong Kong Trilogy] originated from a short film project at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. The festival organizers invited Christopher Doyle to direct a short film as part of the "Beautiful 2014" short film series. This half-hour piece was originally titled *Hong Kong 2014: Education for All*, which depicted the hopes and dreams of children in the city. After its premiere at the Hong Kong Film Festival in March 2014, it received critical acclaim and garnered over 1.5 million online views. This success inspired producers Sun Mingli, Hui Chi-kin, and director Christopher Doyle to expand it into a feature-length film.

Then, in late September 2014, the "Umbrella Movement" for genuine universal suffrage took place in Hong Kong. Christopher Doyle felt compelled to document this historic moment: "As a filmmaker who believes in cinema’s social responsibility, I felt I had to capture such a historic time—even if it meant using just an iPhone, a camera, or my own money. I’ve made almost a hundred films and have lived in Hong Kong for so long. Hong Kong has given me so much—I owed it something. This was the perfect opportunity for young people to have their voices heard. I’m always busy, running around, but with the Umbrella Movement, I knew I had to film it—to speak to my generation." As a result, in addition to *Open the Door and See the Mountain*, which is told from a child’s perspective, there emerged *The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains* from a youth viewpoint, and *No Regrets*, which documents the stories of the elderly. Together, they form the [Hong Kong Trilogy], portraying Hong Kongers across three generations—elders, adults, and youth.

"Let Hong Kong Speak—Write the Story Together"

For the production team, this was a film created outside the conventional film industry framework. Aside from Christopher Doyle, the average age of the crew was under 29. During filming, there was no script or specific agenda. The film’s perspective was shaped through extensive interviews and candid footage of ordinary people, creating a viewpoint uniquely Hong Kong’s—neither a documentary nor a narrative fiction. The filmmakers tackled highly politically sensitive subjects, and insufficient funds were raised via the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Donations ranged from as little as HK$5 to over HK$5,000, totaling USD $124,126 within a month. A film depicting the lives of Hong Kong people, made with the most grassroots approach and funded by public donations, carries exceptional meaning. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and later screened at the Busan International Film Festival and the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. It received widespread acclaim and recognition from international media outlets such as The New York Times and Variety. The film was released in Hong Kong on the one-year anniversary of the Umbrella Movement with sold-out screenings, and tickets for its special screening at the Golden Horse International Film Festival were also snapped up quickly.

Production Chronicle

• Average age of the production team (excluding Christopher Doyle): 28.6 years
• Fundraising duration on Kickstarter: 31 days
• Number of backers on Kickstarter: 1,021
• Total production budget: USD $174,126
• Principal photography days: 10 (not including nearly a year of interviews, candid footage, and movement documentation)
• Released independently in Hong Kong, with limited screenings in a single theater over two months—27 screenings in total, with nearly full houses in the first month and an overall occupancy rate of 80%.

Director Profile

Christopher Doyle (Christopher Doyle)

Has won four Golden Horse Awards and seven Hong Kong Film Awards, revered as a legendary cinematographer for his distinctive style. He played an indispensable role in the films of acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai. Born on May 2, 1952, in Sydney, Australia, he studied literature at the University of Sydney, Chinese studies at the New Asia College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and fine arts at the University of Maryland in the United States. At 18, he left home to work as a sailor on a Norwegian merchant ship. He experienced life as a cowboy on a kibbutz in Israel, practiced as an unlicensed physician in Thailand, and spent time as a “green farmer” in India—leading a life as cinematic as his films.

In the late 1970s, he was reborn under the Chinese name “杜可风” (Doyle), meaning “like the wind.” With his new name, he moved to Taiwan, settled there, and learned Chinese. He co-founded the Lanling Theatre Workshop and began collaborating on cinematography with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and Zuni Icosahedron. In 1981, invited by Edward Yang, he served as the cinematographer for the film *That Day, on the Beach*, winning Best Cinematography at the 1983 Asia-Pacific Film Festival. From then on, he devoted himself entirely to filmmaking, passionately directing around 50 Chinese-language films. Prior to that, he had also shot approximately 20 foreign-language films under his other name, “Christopher Doyle.”