John Chong on the future of Hong Kong cinema and his Difficulties at the Siff 2025

It is impossible to talk about Chinese cinema without mentioning Hong Kong – a truth underlined at the 27th International Film Festival of this year Shanghai film (Siff).

This year’s program is deeply plunged into the city’s cinematographic past, dealing with the public of classics like Jackie Chan Police story series. Alongside retrospective, a prospective objective: a showcase from Hong Kong New Power Projects which presented five productions in search of Chinese partners on the continent. All of this has helped to arouse a conversation on how a city of only 7.5 million people produced such a rich heritage of influential films – and what the next Hong Kong’s wave of cinema could look like.

But what is not lost for anyone is the way in which Hong Kong cinema is struggling, with its box office at a hollow of 13 years from the last report, with production numbers that also plunge. Many filmmakers in the city have concentrated on the Chinese continent market. The China Film Administration has recently opened new doors for cross -border collaboration – but like many cinema centers in the world, the city has once nicknamed the “Hollywood of the East” faces a period of uncertainty.

John Chong was among the most prosperous filmmakers that Hong Kong produced, helping to start the production house of Media Asia in 1994 and to support massive successes such as the Hellish affairs Trilogy (2002-03) – which later became the source material for the winner of the Oscars of Martin Scorsese The deceased (2006) – and the recent smash Twilight of the warriors: Worded in, The vision of nostalgia soaked in the nostalgia for the director SOI CHEANG in what was known as the slum of the closed city of Kowloon, which existed until the demolition applied by the government in 1994.

After more than three decades in the company, Chong remains optimistic. In September, he will assume the role of chief mentor at the international cinema camp, an initiative of the Asian Film Awards Academy in Macao, aimed at feeding the next generation of Asian filmmakers.

While attention turns once again to his hometown, The Hollywood Reporter Sitting with Chong to discuss the state of the industry, which then comes – and how his own trip to the cinema started.

There is an attention here to Siff on the state of the cinema of Hong Kong. What is your opinion on the situation?

I think this is a global problem and I think we all know that it is because consumers have too many options. Three decades ago, if you made an appointment, the first option was to go to the movies. Now we all have a lot to do, especially with AI, video games and streaming platforms. This is why our common problem is the drop in theaters’ income. It is not a secret. And there are simply not enough popular commercial films. It is a problem of chicken and egg. People do not want to see bad movies and that is why theaters do not work well. What we have to do is educate filmmakers, young filmmakers. You make a film for people, for the public, not for yourself.

What about the functioning of the cinemas themselves?

In Hong Kong, rent is the problem. It is too high and maybe we can also change the structure of the company. Commissariats – They do this now, I think. Cinemas can bring people there, so there is a possibility of more synergy. There are also initiatives such as the experience of “cinema to eat”, where quality meals can be appreciated while you look. We have to explore more options for moviegoers, more things to bring them to the cinema and have an extended experience.

Are you attending positive points that come out of Hong Kong?

I think our strength, compared to 10 years ago, is that we have a lot of new talents. But the problem is that they seem to be strong in a few genres, and we need a larger range of genres. We also need comedy, fantasy, adventure and others. But for the moment, they are still focusing on exploring their own feelings. These films could be good, but we need more.

How different is it now compared to the moment when you started working on the Hellish affairs trilogy?

At that time, the market was just as low as now, and many filmmakers had even changed their profession, to be a taxi driver or other things. It was disappointing. But (co-founder of Media Asia) Peter Lam found the resources to make bigger films. We decided that they simply could not be action, they had to involve a certain psychology, characters undergoing a mental fight. When we read Hellish affairs We have seen it as a story at high concept. I said to the director [Andrew Lau]The high concept means low risk. Then we talked about the casting [including Andy Lau, Tony Leung and Anthony Wong] And people told us that they were all 40 years old. At that time, people thought that 40 -year -old guys were too old. They didn’t know. These guys are almost 70 years old now, they still do it. They always do superb things.

So Great Script, Great Cast – But still a risk?

Andrew said that if it does not succeed, I have to change my profession. Everyone thought we only had a chance to make it work. If it was a flop, we were all in difficulty. This is why we worked together very humbly and I remember that we had more than 10 cups, editing and changing a lot like dialogue. After that, Peter asked me, “Have you finished the cup?” The final cup? ” I said, “Yes. It’s great.” He said, “You are very conservative. Is it brilliant? ” I said, “Yes.” The first time I saw it was great, then the rest belongs to the story. When you make a film, everyone has to do their best and our whole team had the same attitude.

Two decades later – with the industry in difficulty – you produced Twilight of the Warriors: Walled in. What was the secret this time?

First of all, the committing story, the exceptional characters. It is actually not a very special criminal film, but it is fraternity, betrayal … and survival. This is the first layer. And second, it’s the atmosphere. We so well captured the atmosphere of the fortified city that some people thought it still existed. People have special feelings for this place. I lived there a few years when I was very young. For a child, it was sometimes very painful because we were not allowed to go to certain dark places. We captured this and we did something very special.

You soon turn your attention to the international cinema camp and help some young Asian filmmakers start in the industry. How did you enter?

I saw Taxi driver By Martin Scorsese and I thought it should be pretty cool to be a filmmaker. When I graduated, I wanted to join the film industry, but I didn’t know what to do. I had a minor in Chinese literature, so I thought I could start as a screenwriter. Then, I met the director Ringo Lam, and I had so many questions for him. We met and he gave me a chance. I started writing and also made subtitles for films such as The brilliant And Top gun.

What was your first credit?

I spoke to Ringo and he told me that he was writing a song for Fire prison [1987]. I do not know the music but I thought that if I took this work, I will be very busy for at least two weeks, but if I reject it, I lose my possibility and I have no salary. I spent almost three weeks, because I don’t know music, to find a song – Hopeful. He loved it and Ringo used it. It was my first credit.

What are your plans for your role as chief mentor at the international cinema camp?

When I was young, I was hoping to ask the veterans. I think it’s very important because they just start their career in cinema. What I’m going to tell them is that a thing that is really important is perseverance. I will tell them that if they like to make films or like to be a filmmaker, don’t think too much and don’t do it. There are many examples of people who work for a few decades, then they suddenly become a well -known director or a screenwriter. So you never know. Persist.