(scroll down for english)
第18屆社運電影節與大家一樣處於無法預計的「新常態」之下，我們不知道未來的疫情狀況會怎樣，放映能否如期舉行，與大家面對面觀看電影仍然是未知之數……雖然如此，我們還是期待能與大家見面，繼續探索「行動、思索、感動、影像」會帶我們到哪裡去……
在出發之前，我們先來分享一些紛雜的思索：
- 過往的社運電影節多選取世界各地的電影，呈現當地的抗爭經驗、社會百態，藉此讓我們思考生活和社會的不同可能；但各地的脈絡都不盡相同，電影節除了放映各地抗爭故事，能否同時呈現本地眾人的需要和嘗試？
- 雖然電影節過去有與不同邊緣群體合作，放映甚至共同設計放映安排，但都是先選片後合作，如果選片階段就一同參與，會怎樣？過程中發現他們也有想抒發的心聲，那就讓我們試試一同創作，透過電影節讓更多人聽見？或許更多交流促進互相了解，會再發現不同可能？
- 不是人人也思考敏捷，能言善辯，身手了得；不同特質、志趣、才性的人，希望關心運動、參與運動的話，可以開創出怎樣的位置？
- 隨著運動及疫情的出現，各種互助性質的嘗試應運而生：社區團購口罩，送口罩、飯券給有需要的人，為手足揾工，到組成黃色經濟圈……一再接住眾人的需要。除了回應當下的燃眉之急，我們能否透過持續嘗試和合作，結聚成有力的集體，甚至改變原有的社會制度結構（例如僱主員工之間的權力不對等），共同建構各人自主生活想像的可能？
- 我們對社區、一個「較民主的社會」，有什麼想像？
- 誰是「我們」？
於是，一眾籌委找來了些影片，亦嘗試做影像創作，觸及：
- 被主流社會遺下的人們，如何互相尊重和接納，彼此扶持；
- 壓迫無處不在；一個被壓迫的人，但不會倒過來壓迫其他人的故事；
- 加拿大合作社影片及本地合作社的短片，當中包含內部民主的討論和實踐，開拓不同自主方式的嘗試，及經濟民主的可能；
- 勞工運動不只是權益爭取，人還有不同面向，在地域間流動、生計需要、情感之間如何互相拉扯……等等。
在這些紛亂思索和影片裡面，我們漸漸拼貼出以下詰問：
自由自由，民主民主，
怎樣能夠在龐大集體／社會／運動中看見一個個立體的人和需要？
我們能夠共同探索和成長，一起滿足這些不同面向的需要嗎？
去年社運電影節正值反送中運動期間，兩個月內在緊迫的日程中有多場場次需變動，加上預期疫情的不確定因素；籌委們人力上也希望有更鬆動時間作準備，故今屆社會運動電影節，我們嘗試把電影節分成兩個檔期舉行，分別是如往常的十月至十一月（秋冬場）和明年的四月至五月（春夏場）。
踏入第十八年，[ 影像．感動．思索．行動 ] ，透過電影節的影像帶來的感動和思索，把社會上處於邊緣位置的個體或群體，促進理解及拉線連結，締結跨議題行動的可能，仍是我們不變的理念和願景。
面對未來，很多東西確實如同很多生活在同一空間的各位一樣，也是無從確定。無論如何，電影節仍希望「窮人共育電影節」（詳見註）的理念可持續下去，透過非金錢的交換，令到跨國界的文化和運動交流，可以為無錢的人所分享。
歡迎各位，用你可以參與的方式，不論是捐款、參與放映及映後討論、參與撰寫影評、協助宣傳等，與我們一同共育社運電影節。
註：「窮人共育電影節」具體實踐包括：
收費全免；
「交換工作」換取放映權：以字幕翻譯和製作，交換外地獨立製作的辛苦付出；
絕不申請任何政治或大企業贊助；
唯一一點資金，就只有觀眾和支持者的籌款，加上合辦單位影行者盡所能投放的一點資源（印製宣傳品和手語傳譯者津貼）。
第十八屆香港社會運動電影節籌委會
2020.9
foreword
18th Hong Kong social movement film festival (smff), like you all, is in the same “new normalcy” of precarity. We don’t know what the future of the epidemic will be like, whether the screenings will be held as scheduled, and whether we will be face to face screenings. Despite this, we are still looking forward to meeting you, continuing our exploration of [movie. moved. musing. movement], and see where it will lead us to…
Before we get going, here are some of our thoughts:
- In the pervious film festivals, we have showcased films around the world about struggles on the ground and social issues in order to make us think about the different possibilities of life and society. However, there are contextual differences between regions, so apart from showing stories of local struggles, we begin to ponder how we could present the needs and struggle of local people?
- Although the festival has collaborated with different marginalized groups in the past, doing screening and even co-designing the screening arrangements, the selection of films is done before the collaboration. How about if we collaborate from the beginning? We know they want to be heard. Shall we try to create something together and let more people hear it through the festival? Perhaps more exchanges of experience will help us understand each other and discover various possibilities?
- Not everyone is a quick thinker, an eloquent talker, and has high agility; what position can be created for people of different qualities, interests and talents who wish to care about social movements and want to participate in them?
- In the wake of the movement and the pandemic, various forms of mutual aid have emerged: community group buying and distributing masks and meal vouchers to those in need, finding jobs for fellow protesters, forming a yellow economic circle… giving care to people. Instead of responding to the immediate needs, can we, through continuous experimentation and collaboration, form a powerful collective, or even change existing social institutional structures (e.g. power imbalance between employers and employees), and build a possible space for each person to imagine his or her own life?
- How do we envision for our communities, or a “more democratic society”?
- Who are “we”?
The organizing committee have gathered films as well as made our own ones, touching upon topics around:
- How people who have been left out by the mainstream respect, accept and support each other;
- A story of a oppressed person, in face of omnipresent oppression, who does not become an oppressor;
- Canadian co-operative and local co-operatives, their discussion and practice of internal democracy, attempts to open up different forms of autonomy, and the possibilities of economic democracy;
- A labor movement which is not just about fighting for rights but touch upon different aspects of people’s lives, including the intersection between geographic mobility, livelihood needs, and emotional ties…etc.
In these confusing thoughts and various films, we collage the following interrogations:
freedom and democracy.
How can we see the multiplicities of a person and their needs in a larger collective/society/movement?
Can we explore and grow together to meet these diverse needs?
Last year’s Hong Kong Social Movement Film Festival coincided with the anti-extradition movement, and there were a number of changes in the tight schedule in those two months. In view of the uncertainty of another wave of outbreak, we decided to accommodate more flexibility and divided the film festival into two: it will be held from October to November (autumn/winter) and from April to May (spring/summer).
In its 18th year, the festival, with our core principle of [movie. moved. musing. movement], is still believing in connecting and bringing understanding to individuals and groups at the margins, and creating possibilities for cross-issue solidarity, through the emotional touch and reflections brought by imageries. In face of our collective precarious future, there are uncertainties as many of you are living at the moment. Nonetheless, the Festival hopes that we can uphold the concept “the poor foster the smff”, (see note) and that through non-monetary exchange, cultural and movements exchanges across borders can happen for those who have no money.
You are welcome to participate in any way you can, be it by making a donation, participating in screenings and post-screening discussions, writing film review, and helping with promotion etc. Please join us in fostering the festival together.
Note: Specific practices of the “the poor foster the smff” include.
Free of charge for all screenings.
“Exchange work” for screening rights:
subtitle translation and production in exchange for the hard work of independent foreign productions.
Never apply for political or major corporate sponsorship.
The only funds available are the funds raised by the audience and supporters, and the little resources that the co-organizers have put in (printing promotion materials and hong kong sign language interpretation).
Organizing Committee of the 18th Hong Kong social movement film festival
2020.9
第十八屆香港社會運動電影節 the 18th hong kong social movement film festival 