Taking Back the Legislature

Since spring 2019, tens of thousands of mostly young Hong Kong citizens have been protesting against the takeover by China. Initially they opposed the introduction of a new extradition law, which jeopardizes Hong Kong’s independence and threatens to subject critics to strict Chinese rules. On July 1, protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex. Anonymous activists filmed the run-up to the assault from the inside, resulting in this turbulent and compelling visual account. With umbrellas to protect them against police rubber bullets, the protesters prepare for battle. Not everyone agrees on the plan of action, as we see in the fierce discussions that divide the participants: while one group takes a combative attitude, the other fears arrests or casualties. Equipped with hardhats and gas masks, the protest leaders prepare the crowd, raising the intensity of emotions. In fast-paced footage from the frontlines, the chaos and despair about the future becomes tangible. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)