🎬 A Cinematic Journey into Memory, Identity, and the Power of Art in Times of Turmoil
“I was deeply moved by this film. It’s an important document that deserves to be seen not just by us older audiences, but by younger generations as well. It carries a powerful emotional and intellectual force.”— Ann Hui, Film Director
“I’ve never seen a Hong Kong documentary this good. I’ve never seen one that approaches Hong Kong from such a brilliant perspective. With such rich material, I truly felt transported back in time — that experience is incredibly precious. No other Hong Kong documentary engages with that era in this way.”— Yim Ho, Film Director
This is not merely a documentary — it is a love letter to cinema, eighty years of a life distilled into film by veteran Hong Kong film critic Law Kar. It carries his memories as a lifelong cinephile while exploring the profound role of history and art in times of turmoil.
Now, for a limited time, you are invited to experience Cinema Strada before its wider release, and to take part in bringing this film to global audiences.
🔥 Limited Preview Access — Available Now
- 🎬 Exclusive online preview screening
- 🎞️ Access to rare Hong Kong experimental films (1960s–70s)
- 🛡️ Help unlock the film’s global release through your participation
This is a special preview phase, not a public release.
🏆 Limited Edition Collector’s Blu-Ray and Book Bundle
- 💿 Signed Cinema Strada Blu-ray
- 📚 Signed autobiographical book Memories Across Time (記憶穿越時代)
Produced only if the campaign goal is met. Limited in quantity with unique serial number — an essential collectible for fans of Hong Kong cinema.
🎬 Why Cinema Strada?
In Cinema Strada, veteran Hong Kong film critic Law Kar invites you on an extraordinary journey through memory, history, and the soul of a city in turmoil. Against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s recent unrest, this film plunges into the heart of confusion, fear, and moral uncertainty that has gripped generations. Through Law Kar’s eyes, we confront the deep, personal wounds left by the 1960s leftist uprising—wounds that shattered not only his view of right and wrong but the very foundation of his identity as a ‘Chinese’ and his sense of belonging.
Through his intimate first-person narration, Cinema Strada becomes a living time capsule. Archival footage, classic movie clips, and poignant reenactments resurrect the ideological divides that have haunted Hong Kong for decades—from the chaos of the Second World War, through the Cold War tensions of British colonial rule, to the fragile reunification with the Mainland. Every frame illuminates how history shapes not just a city, but the hearts and minds of those who live through it.
Law Kar’s journey is a revelation: raised on Western ideals and aligned with the political right, he was swept into anti-colonial activism during the 1967 riots, only to later navigate roles he never imagined—promoting colonial government reforms on television while quietly collaborating with leftists to help China open to the world. His story mirrors Hong Kong itself: a city constantly negotiating identity, loyalty, and survival amidst turbulent currents of history.
Cinema Strada is more than a documentary—it is a vital key to understanding the fractures, loyalties, and moral dilemmas that define Hong Kong today. It challenges you to see the fluidity of judgment, the weight of history, and the enduring power of cinema to heal and illuminate. Watching this film is not just witnessing a personal story; it is stepping into the heart of a city, a generation, and a culture at a crossroads. To understand our present and future, it is imperative to understand our past.
⭐ About Law Kar: A Pioneer of Hong Kong Film Culture and a Witness to His Times
Law Kar, affectionately known as ‘Uncle Kar’, is a veteran Hong Kong film critic, programmer, and researcher, regarded as a cornerstone in the study of Chinese film history. Since 1961, his influence has been inescapable: his film column in Chinese Student Weekly during the 1960s inspired a generation of Hong Kong filmmakers, while his leadership of the Hong Kong Film Culture Centre in the 1980s further advanced film appreciation. His contributions have earned wide recognition — the Professional Achievement Award at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards in 2023 and the Medal of Honour from the Hong Kong government in 2004 for his service to film culture. Among his many achievements, was his instrumental role in founding the Hong Kong Film Archive, where he served as programmer until his retirement in 2005. Beyond cinema, Law Kar was also active in theatre and television, working as a creative and administrative officer at TVB from 1973 to 1983.
Law Kar’s personal journey offers a rare window into Hong Kong’s cinematic and cultural history, revealing insights that help us understand the city—and its people—like never before.
📖 In-Depth Conversations: Explore the Inner Worlds of Law Kar and Director Donna Ong
Before immersing yourself in the cinematic world of Cinema Strada, we invite you to read two in-depth articles. Through these interviews and conversations, you will gain a deeper understanding of Law Kar and director Donna Ong—their creative vision and their reflections on cinema, history, and identity—allowing you to experience the film with greater depth and resonance.
🎁 Purchase Plan: ★ Available for Global Audiences
Cinephile Bundle: Exclusive Online Special Preview Voucher for Cinema Strada ｘ 30-Day Viewing Voucher for the Hong Kong Experimental Film Program USD 15
Be among the first to watch this moving documentary and explore the groundbreaking experimental works of Law Kar and his contemporaries in Hong Kong cinema!
- Exclusive Special Preview: One online special preview voucher for Cinema Strada (strictly personal use only).
- Curated Program: One 30-day online viewing voucher for "Looking Through the Cracks: Experimental Cinema in Hong Kong, 1960s–70s" program
- Films include:
- Dead Knot (1969) — Sek Kei & John Woo: Before the blockbuster, the body
- Routine (1969) — Law Kar: Hong Kong in motion — a city through a restless mind
- Begging (1970) — Law Kar: Taoism as cinematic countercurrent
- Hong Kong Diaoyutai Movement (1971) — Law Kar & Chiu Tak-hak: The Street as Screen, Protest as Cinema
- Come Together (1973) — Alex Cheung Kwok-ming: Where experimental vision meets a generation’s beat
- Letter to the Young Intellectuals of Hong Kong (1978) — Mok Chiu-yu & Li Ching: A 35mm missive from the end of revolution
- After purchasing this plan, the viewing vouchers will be provided to your account and email within 10 business days.
🎁 Pre-order Plan: ★ Open for Global Collection and Support
Collector's Bundle: Blu-ray Disc and Book (Exclusively Signed Edition) USD 200–215
For film collectors and devoted readers of Law Kar’s work, this unique signed set is a must-have for your collection!
- Collector's Set: Cinema Strada Blu-ray disc and book Memories Across Time (記憶穿越時代), both signed with a personalised message from Law Kar and the director. [Includes shipping or pick up at locations in Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei]
- This is a crowdfunding pre-order. Production of the Blu-ray and shipment of the book will commence once the funding goal is met. In the event the goal is not reached and rewards cannot be fulfilled, a full refund will be automatically processed.
🌟 Join the Journey
By securing your exclusive preview or collector’s bundle, you help unlock the global release of this rare, indispensable documentary. Your participation ensures the microstories of cultural figures like Law Kar — and the cinematic history they preserve — reach audiences worldwide, offering rich human insight into Hong Kong’s past and present.
💰 Financing Details
- Target Amount: USD 50,000
- Usage: Upgrading archival material licences from one to two year festival screening rights to perpetual worldwide rights, and remaining lab fees for remastering and video outputs specific for streaming.
Unlocked at 50% Funding Goal:When this campaign reaches at least half its funding goal, all purchasers and supporters will be invited to a special online Q&A with the filmmaking team!
🎞️ Film Details
- Type: Documentary, Feature
- Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes
- Completion Date: March 2024, Theatrical Release 28 April 2024 (HK)
- Country of Origin: Hong Kong
- Country of Filming: Hong Kong, Macau
- Language: Cantonese (Yue Chinese), with Chinese & English Subtitle
- Shooting Format: Digital
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Film Colour: Colour, B&W
🎥 About the Team
Director｜Donna ONG
An Academic-turned-Filmmaker, Cinema Strada is Donna’s first feature documentary. She double majored in Film Studies and Political Science at Yale University as an Undergraduate and completed her Doctorate degree at the University of Hong Kong’s Comparative Literature Department. Prior to her work in film, she worked in international diplomacy and political analysis. After co-curating a film festival in Hong Kong with Law Kar in 2019, she was inspired to pivot into production.
Archival Producer｜Aki Kung
With over ten years of experience in film programming and research, Aki currently works as an archivist focusing on audio-visual archiving, preservation, and restoration. She has previously worked at the Hong Kong Film Archive and various film-related organisations. Additionally, Aki co-founded Reel to Reel Institute, a non-profit organisation committed to promoting film preservation in Hong Kong, where she took on the managerial and curatorial roles.
📩 Contact
For inquiries, please reach out to us:
📍 Giloo Customer Service: [email protected]
📍 Cinema Strada team: [email protected]
✨ Watch and Collect the Film Now: Join us for an extraordinary journey through Hong Kong’s cinematic history and memories, guided by the stories of legendary film critic Law Kar!✨
Anonymous
2026-04-01
NT$ 450
Anonymous
2026-03-31
NT$ 450
A
Aaron Gerow
2026-01-21
$ 60
Thank you for your amazing work. Looking forward to more great creations 🥰 Keep it up 🤟