HK Journalists Recognised in Japan

Chan accepting the Japanese award on behalf of HK journalists

A day after the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong suspended its Human rights Press Awards citing the national security law, its sister club in Japan have named Hong Kong journalists as winners of its Freedom of the Press Asia Award.

Freelance journalist Ilgin Yorulmaz, co-chair of The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan's press freedom committee, said the award recognised journalists and media organisations who fight for free speech, for the free exchange of information, and against censorship.

The award was accepted by Hong Kong Journalists Association chair Ronson Chan Ron-sing.

He said it was an honour to receive the prize. 

FCC suspended the Human Rights Press Awards

"Hong Kong journalists are kind, passionate and tenacious... although the environment changed, most of us have remained in our position and try our best to find the truth for the Hong Kong community."

Meanwhile another person has abruptly left Hong Kong, a political cartoonist known as Ah To. 

In a social media post, he explained he would face "great mental stress" if he were to continue to produce political cartoons in the city.

On Tuesday he shared a picture of one of his characters in what looked like a backdrop of London and said he left because he "wanted to continue creating for Hong Kong".

Ah To said he thought about changing the theme of his work last year, but felt Hong Kong "needed political cartoons", and said he wanted to "persist" by remotely creating cartoons for his home city.

"I was worried that my future work would not be down to earth... but staying in Hong Kong to produce political cartoon [causes] great mental stress. [I] have no alternative but to leave," he wrote on Facebook, without stating his destination.

Ah To's character in what looks like London

He is known for being critical of Beijing and the Hong Kong government, and has produced work on controversial issues like the national security law, the election overhaul, and the 2019 protests.

Last July pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao criticised Ah To for sharing cartoons that "vilified the SAR government" and "incited hatred against the police".

His work was published in Ming Pao Weekly and Yahoo News, but both columns were cancelled in June 2020 just before the implementation of the national security law on June 30 that year.

In Tuesday's post, Ah To said he had made the decision to leave Hong Kong in a hurry and would not have time to bid farewell to his friends. He felt "guilty" about his departure, adding he would "speak up for the voiceless" and hoped Hong Kong's history would not be left with "silence" in the future.

Ah To's take on Carrie Lam

"Thinking about my family members in Hong Kong who I may not see again, my comrades who are in jail or pending trial, the readers who have been supporting me and my wife who was forced to flee with me... I feel very guilty," Ah To said.

"May good-natured people take care and preserve kindness in different ways," he added.

Ah To is not the only artist to leave recently. Manga artist Tony Lu and performance artist Kacey Wong Kwok-choi both left for Taiwan last year, citing the national security law for the reason behind their move.

PS: Here is the link to my new blog: https://goodbyehkhelloyvr.blogspot.com/

HK Police Sweetens Image with Milk Tea

Hong Kong Police try to soften their image -- with milk tea, not tear gas

The Hong Kong police is trying hard to present a positive public image after the bad impression it left from handling protesters during last year's Occupy Movement.

Chief superintendent Steve Hui Chun-tak, nicknamed "Four O'Clock Hui Sir" for his 4pm briefings everyday during the 79-day protest, is moving on to become district commander of Sham Shui Po next month.

Steve Hui (left) with his successor Joseph Au with milk tea

His replacement is chief superintendent Joseph Au Chin-chau, who admits preferring to be more low key. His previous position was head of the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau, dealing with such cases as the chopper attack on former Ming Pao editor Kevin Lau Chun-to, and an alleged bomb plot hatched at an abandoned ATV studio complex in Sai Kung.

So if Au doesn't want to be in the limelight, speaking out on behalf of the Hong Kong Police will be a cartoon character called Kong, who will prepare and serve the city's famous beverage, milk tea at the force's headquarters, and report gossip or stories from other officers.

Kong will also be featured in a comic book story each week on the force's Facebook page, where he will convey anti-crime messages.

"Milk tea is a classic drink that we cannot live without in daily life," said a police source who requested anonymity. "We want to use it as a link to bond with the community and attract young supporters as they love reading comics."

Hui was nicknamed Four O'Clock Hui for his news briefings

Some frontline officers speaking on condition of anonymity, were not impressed by this new PR strategy. They didn't understand how milk tea had anything to do with their work and were concerned the cartoon character would invite further ridicule.

We too have to wonder about this milk tea strategy. Does the Hong Kong Police think it can win more supporters one cup at a time? Or drowning locals in milk tea laced with caffeine will bring about a softer opinion about police officers? And are Hong Kong people really that infantile in that they only way to get through to them is by writing comic books?

Either way it seems rather silly.

Sounds like it's time to go back to the drawing board...

Meet Cartoon Deng

A cartoon likeness of Deng Xiaoping in a new animated documentary

How did I miss this news earlier this week?

There is a new animated documentary about paramount leader Deng Xiaoping that was released yesterday.

The cartoon Deng appears in about a dozen scenes re-enacting several Chinese historical events as part of the documentary Mr Deng Goes to Washington, about his landmark visit to the United States in 1979 and met then US President Jimmy Carter.

Mixed with the cartoon animation are rare archival footage and interviews.

A scene from Mr Deng Goes to Washington

What's interesting about this film is that Chinese leaders have rarely had their likenesses translated into cartoons, as it was considered politically sensitive or inappropriate for senior leaders to be made into caricatures.

However, after a 24-year-old animation-production student at Beijing Film Academy drew the cartoon Deng, it was presented to his family and given the green light.

In one scene, the Chinese leader visits Siminton, Texas, where the Josey sisters performed a rodeo show for him. At that event Martha Josey rode her horse to the stands where Deng sat and put a white cowboy hat on his head.

But according to the documentary, not many knew that one of the sisters had fallen off a horse that day.

Deng adjusting his cowboy hat given to him by Martha Josey

"Deng Xiaoping was concerned and sent his own doctor to check on her," says director Fu Hongxing. "The sisters have been training on horseback since they were children, so the girl was all right. But they were touched because Deng cared so much about two country-girls in the US. The memory remained in their minds for more than 30 years."

Whether it's blatant propaganda or another soft-power initiative by China, Mr Deng Goes to Washington may spark more interest in the US to learn about its relations with the Middle Kingdom.

Every bit helps as the the US seems to be faltering in its China policy at the moment and needs more bright creative minds to smooth over diplomatic tensions...

Quick-Change Artist

The animated version of Mona Lisa

We just got back from an entertaining evening by Ennio Marchetto: The Living Paper Cartoon at the Academy for Performing Arts.

Not knowing what to expect, we were a) intrigued b) surprised and c) weirded out when we saw a man in a black lycra suit (with fantastic legs) doing some fun renditions and lip-synching of famous pop stars and celebrities with only some cardboard costumes that stuck to his head and body.

For example, he came out as the Mona Lisa complete with picture frame, and made hilarious faces at the audience. In another artistic segment, he was Venus de Milo, wondering why she couldn't move her arms.

Marchetto as Marilyn Monroe in her halter dress

Marchetto proved himself deft at portraying such people as Cher and Dolly Parton (complete with pendulous breasts) sitting astride a donkey, and Justin Bieber and Rhianna, Madonna (with conical corset) and Stevie Wonder complete with rainbow braided locks, shades and a keyboard.

We loved Marchetto coming out as Queen Elizabeth II, giving the ubiquitous royal wave and carrying a handbag, and then immediately transformed himself into Freddie Mercury.

It was these "magic tricks" that kept audiences guessing what would be next. And he was non-stop for about an hour, doing one rendition after another, each with a slight twist.

Another favourite was the one of Celine Dion singing My Heart Will Go On from Titanic, and Marchetto comes out with a mane of blond hair and dress, that soon transforms into the giant ill-fated cruise liner and then whips out paper dolls of Rose and Jack, puts them at the bow of the ship and then throw them overboard!

Voguing as Madonna complete with conical corset

His one tribute to Hong Kong was Hero Story, the theme song from Police Story, doing some kung fu and throwing his fist through a "pile of rocks" made of paper. Nevertheless we were impressed he did lip synch the words in Cantonese.

What made Marchetto's act great were his costumes, these paper outfits that were artistically made, but also engineered to fold ingeniously to reveal new characters and items, like thermometers used in the song Fever.

This is Marchetto's fourth visit to Hong Kong, and the opening night had some loyal fans in the audience. What's interesting to note is that Marchetto is 53 and he's been doing this act -- variations of characters -- for about 25 years.

A heavy-set Dolly Parton riding a donkey...

One has to wonder what he was like growing up as a kid -- did he like dress up? He was inspired by the animation of Walt Disney, the choreography of Pina Bausch and mime performer Lindsay Kemp. Marchetto performed for many years at the Venetian Carnival and then got his big break in 1989 at the Edinburgh Fringe and has been a cult hit ever since.

So even though it's not exactly high art, it's great entertainment and makes one appreciate someone who has the guts to go it alone on stage non stop for an hour.

Ennio Marchetto: The Living Paper Cartoon

Until October 13

Drama Theatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

www.enniomarchetto.com