Hong Kong travel agency backs out of Taiwan trip over controversial film screening

A Hong Kong travel agency has withdrawn from its role in a trip to Taiwan that centred on a private screening of a movie banned in the city on national security grounds.Jetport Travel on Saturday also distanced itself from promotion of the tour, which was organised by e-commerce platform As One and advertised as a HK$7,199 (US$923) four-trip to the self-ruled island departing late February that included private screenings of Hong Kong director Kiwi Chow Kwun-wai’s films Deadline and A Foggy Tale.“Two films, which cannot be screened in Hong Kong, getting to know human rights development in Taiwan and its cultural landscapes – this is the first time As One is travelling with everyone,” a now-removed post for the tour read.Chow, whose past works include Revolution of Our Times, a documentary on the 2019 anti-government protests, revealed last December that Deadline, starring Anthony Wong Chau-sang, was banned in the city after waiting for more than four months for approval.Hong Kong’s Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration refused to elaborate on whether A Foggy Tale could be shown in the city, saying it could not comment on the applications of individual films.As One announced on Friday night that Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Authority had asked it to remove online posts promoting the tour.