Taking Back the Legislature
Democracy and Its Discontents • 46m
Directed by Hong Kong Documentary Filmmakers • Documentary • 2021 • 46 minutes
TAKING BACK THE LEGISLATURE unspools over the course of a single day – one that marked a critical moment in the 2019 Hong Kong protests against the new extradition law.
On July 1, Hong Kong marked the 22nd anniversary of the territory’s handover from the UK to China. But this time, the ceremonies were overshadowed by the deaths of three protesters. What had begun as demonstrations against a new extradition law swelled into a broader pro-democracy movement.
Made by an anonymous collective, TAKING BACK THE LEGISLATURE documents the movement from the inside, as the mostly young protesters decide to storm and then occupy the assembly. Pro-democracy legislators try to dissuade them, arguing they are needlessly putting themselves in danger. Eventually, after battering at the building’s glass for hours, the demonstrators enter and take over the legislative chamber. TAKING BACK THE LEGISLATURE is an important historical document, offering insights into the dynamics of the occupation.
This film is a companion to INSIDE THE RED BRICK WALL, made by the same anonymous collective, on the November 2019 siege of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
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