Hong Kong prison authorities have for the first time produced short films based on the stories of current and former inmates convicted of offences related to the city’s anti-government protests to educate young people about not running afoul of the law.
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Acting security chief Michael Cheuk Hau-yip told a seminar on Wednesday attended by more than 1,600 secondary school pupils from 29 schools that many young offenders who had broken the national security law had been misinformed, incited or acted under misguided heroism to challenge social order.
He pointed to the 30-minute film Momentary Glory, which will be released on the social media platforms of the Correctional Services Department and Education Bureau on National Security Education Day on April 15 along with another one, Unfailing Love.
“This short film was adapted from a real case. The story described a youth who, under peer pressure and negativity in society, was blinded by illusory conceit. He offended against the national security law and ended up in prison,” Cheuk said.
Momentary Glory follows the story of Yiu Chi-man, a troubled young man who was forced to abandon his university studies to support his family.
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Yiu is shown riding a motorcycle after answering two friends’ calls to “handle” an unnamed matter. In the film, one friend hands Yiu a folded black flag with part of the word “liberate” visible.
“I will make all of Hong Kong pay attention, and let them know what it means by ‘hard times create strong men’,” Yiu said to his friends before riding off.