ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«

Chan Tze Woon

Chan Tze Woon (Visiting & Exchange 2009) is a writer and documentary film director. His latest film Blue Island explores the socio-political upheaval during and after the protests in Hong Kong in 2019.

Tze Woon came to study at Sussex as an exchange student for two academic terms in 2009. His time at Sussex influenced him to change his career trajectory and pursue filmmaking. In 2013, he graduated from Baptist University, Hong Kong with a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production.

He recently returned to Sussex for a screening of his latest documentary, Blue Island (2022), with Q&A at the Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts as part of the Brighton CINECITY festival. During his time back on campus, he also offered a filmmaking masterclass to current Sussex students.

What drew you to documentary filmmaking?

I’d recently graduated from film school when the Umbrella Movement erupted. I picked up a camera and filmed a few young protesters in the occupy area from the perspective of a participant. This film later became Yellowing and marked the beginning of my journey in documentary filmmaking.

What was the experience of shooting Blue Island like?

It took five full years. During this time, not only did the concept and production of the documentary undergo significant changes, but I also experienced the dramatic upheavals in Hong Kong. You have to adjust your filming direction to fit these changes. It has been challenging, but creating a film that documents this era is incredibly meaningful to me.

Your film brings together four young participants and three older islanders with their own history of both Chinese Communist and British Colonial rule, using dramatic re-enactment to explore these distinct yet connected experiences. How does this format explore, for you, what it means to be a Hongkonger?

I was born in Hong Kong under British colonial rule, and when I was ten, the sovereignty of Hong Kong was handed over to China. In the past decade, the local movements and protests in Hong Kong have left me with significant questions about my own identity.

The blurred line between reality and fiction in images has always been the part that interests me the most. When I listen to several interviewees recalling experiences from decades ago, I find myself questioning the validity of their memories. Reenactment not only echoes this ambiguity between the real and the imagined, but by showcasing the process of reenactment, we can create a space for intergenerational dialogue and debate.

Different generations of protesters hold varying national identities and beliefs in different values. I feel that through these individuals, we can present the peculiar post-colonial condition of Hong Kong, which may help answer my questions.

What led you to study abroad at Sussex?

During my 2nd year studying Policy and Administration at City University of Hong Kong, an opportunity for a six-month exchange program arose and my teachers mentioned Sussex was a great university. I was eager to leave the city where I grew up and experience life abroad.