Hong Kong Chinese control and the future of protest DW Documentary_360

In Hong Kong, protests have fallen silent. The Chinese state is more restrictive than ever. Back in 2019, artists were among those who took to the streets to demonstrate against the curtailing of basic rights. How are they doing, five years on?

Unlike many of his contemporaries, multimedia artist Samson Young chose to remain in Hong Kong rather than going into exile. Young plays with codes and hidden references in his complex art installations. Filmmaker Kiwi Chow also stayed. He sold the rights to an internationally acclaimed documentary about the 2019 protest movement to a friend outside the country.

Others felt they could no longer stay in Hong Kong, like Kacey Wong, who now lives and works in Taiwan. Despite their different paths, these artists all ask themselves the same question: Will Hong Kong ever be as free as it was before the protests, or will Beijing’s grip get even tighter?