Hong Kong director Patrick Kong, known for his ‘Love Trilogy’, has been prolific lately with new novels and stage plays. He recently shared his thoughts on Threads, with one post seemingly criticizing acclaimed director Peter Chan for ‘emotionally blackmailing’ audiences into the cinema, and mocking him for relying on nostalgia and mutual consolation for self-healing, which Kong finds disheartening.
Kong mentioned that after watching a conversation between Vincent Kok and Peter Chan, he was left with mixed emotions. He noted that Peter Chan candidly admitted his new film “A Soul Swapping Love” did not meet expectations, acknowledged feeling out of touch with the times, and even described a sense of helplessness—‘not knowing what I’m filming even after finishing it’. What surprised Kong was that Chan openly stated, “If I make a movie now and don’t put my name on it, it might be better,” implying that the name “Peter Chan” has become a burden in the marketplace.
Kong bluntly stated that when audiences say ‘You made this sincerely’, it’s no longer about the film’s own appeal, but rather about directors knowing that audiences won’t like it, yet still wanting them to support it in theaters—as if ‘emotionally blackmailing’ them. Even if top directors lament the lack of support for cinema, Kong still believes there’s hope for Hong Kong films, with many promising works from the new generation of directors. He insists, “The audience has always been there, waiting for you to truly deliver something for them to see.”
Kong mentioned that after watching a conversation between Vincent Kok and Peter Chan, he was left with mixed emotions. He noted that Peter Chan candidly admitted his new film “A Soul Swapping Love” did not meet expectations, acknowledged feeling out of touch with the times, and even described a sense of helplessness—‘not knowing what I’m filming even after finishing it’. What surprised Kong was that Chan openly stated, “If I make a movie now and don’t put my name on it, it might be better,” implying that the name “Peter Chan” has become a burden in the marketplace.
Kong bluntly stated that when audiences say ‘You made this sincerely’, it’s no longer about the film’s own appeal, but rather about directors knowing that audiences won’t like it, yet still wanting them to support it in theaters—as if ‘emotionally blackmailing’ them. Even if top directors lament the lack of support for cinema, Kong still believes there’s hope for Hong Kong films, with many promising works from the new generation of directors. He insists, “The audience has always been there, waiting for you to truly deliver something for them to see.”