Spring, Seeing Hong Kong Again---review by Claus Mueller

Directed by Benoit Lelievre, SPRING, SEEING HONG KONG AGAIN is a superbly photographed short documentary on the rapid recuperation of Hong Kong, ranked among the three most important global financial centers, from the corona virus pandemic. In early 2022, twenty thousand cases of Covid were reported; the number of infections reached one million when the 5th wave hit.  When the city opened again for public and private events and full business activities at the end of spring, the number had declined to about 800. 

SPRING, SEEING HONG KONG AGAIN was recorded by the expat cameraman Alex, a 20 year resident of Hong Kong. By following lives of common people in Hong Kong, the documentary reflected the city’s rapid recuperation from the Covid pandemic, which is attributed to the resilience of its people, the socio-political stability it enjoyed compared to the chaotic 2019 period, its economic prospects, and the amount of aid provided to Hong Kong by mainland China.

The documentary provides outstanding images of the city, its people  and its environments, past and current new year’s festivities, the lifestyles of its residents,  the markets they use,  the architecture surrounding them, and major development projects.

The viewers learn how the artists of Hong Kong’s Cantonese Opera were impacted by the pandemic and about teenagers volunteering in anti-pandemic projects and helping older people. Both young and old explain why they consider the city their home and would always return to it. There was also footage about religious denominations helping to control the virus. Major completed and planned projects also gain favors  from residents. With funding and labor from China, the giant Hong Kong Quarantine Center was built in record time.

Spring, Seeing Hong Kong  Again is an excellent current and accessible introduction to that city.