Canadian Premiere “Rather Be Ashes Than Dust” 《寜化飛灰》加拿大首影

Journalists are trained to be objective. How about when working under an authoritarian regime while fearing for your life? Director Alan Lau of the documentary Rather be Ashes than Dust has been working in the filming industry and as a freelance journalist in Hong Kong for 20 years. During the 2019 pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, he captured many protests with his video camera on the streets all over the city. At many chaotic and violent situations, particularly at the scene witnessing police brutality against citizens inside subway cars, he often questioned himself whether he should continue to hold a neutral stand as a professional journalist or follow his heart as an ordinary citizen to give a helping hand to those in distress.

In 2020, a year into the protest movement, China imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong, taking away its judicial independence and the many freedoms, including the freedom of expression, promised by the Joint Declaration when UK turned Hong Kong back to China in 1997. Many journalists had to face a difficult decision: go to prison, shut up, or leave?

This film takes the first-person approach to bring out issues that have not been discussed but yet very relevant to reporters on the grounds. When state-sanctioned violence against its citizens has gone out of hand and government is obviously not telling the truth, what is the role for journalists? When injustice is witnessed, should you continue to film as an observer or make a stand? By remaining silent, have you become an accomplice to the perpetrators? If the situation has become life-threatening, should you continue to film?

Almost half a year after his soul kept pondering these questions repeatedly at every protest site, Lau was full of guilt and suffered from PTSD. He had no choice but left Hong Kong to UK in 2021. Inspired by the courage of the young people in Hong Kong fighting for freedom, human rights and justice, he spent year and a half to turn thousand hours of video footage into this 2-hour documentary. This film takes the audience back to the scene of the protests from the viewpoint of a journalist at the frontline. Hong Kongers are now being silenced and many of them have lost their freedom. It is a proof of their sacrifices, a piece of history that cannot be denied or rewritten.

Rather Be Ashes Than Dust has premiered in film festivals in Korea, New Zealand and Sweden with full houses and numerous praises. TADC now brings it to Toronto for its Canadian premiere at the end of September for two screenings. Director Alan Lau will make a trip from the UK to meet the audience in person for Q&A after each screening. The first screening will be held at OCAD University, supported by the “Digital Futures” program at the University. The second one will be at University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, supported by the Canada-Hong Hong Library at UT St George. With screening expenses partially sponsored, tickets are pay-as-you-can-afford to encourage more to attend. Proceeds from tickets in excess of screening expenses will support the production cost of the documentary.

The documentary has English narration and subtitles. Tickets and details are at Eventbrite.

Media Coverage

‘Rather Be Ashes Than Dust’ is a haunting elegy for Hong Kong
United Press International, Oct 2023

Must-Watch Documentary: 2019 Hong Kong Riots Raw Footage Transformed into a Powerful Film
Asia Media Centre, July 2023