Iron Curtain Falls on Hong Kong Cinema as Censors Demand Cuts

Still, some investors and actors have backed out of his non-political productions and a recent screening of a romance he made was raided by police.

Fear of angering Beijing has long fuelled self-censorship in Hong Kong’s arts, but mainland-style blacklisting of those who speak out is now also happening.

Earlier this month, pro-democracy pop star Denise Ho was forced to cancel her concert after the venue pulled out citing “public security” concerns just days before her performance.

But Chow predicts censorship will do little to change Hong Kongers’ desire for a greater say in how their city is run and smacks of weakness.

“The more that is banned in the name of national security, the less secure the state will be,” he said.