The fight for freedom in Hong Kong reached its peak during the Umbrella Revolution, a moment when a young man named Nathan Law stood out as one of its key figures. At the age of 21, Nathan Law became a leader of this historic movement and later the youngest lawmaker in Hong Kong’s history. His story, documented in Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law?, premieres today on PBS’ POV, offering viewers an intimate look at the life of one of Hong Kong’s most famous dissidents and the consequences of standing up to authoritarian power.
(Rob Latour/Shutterstock for Television Critics Association)
This powerful documentary, directed by Joe Piscatella, showcases the hardships Nathan Law has endured and the resilience he maintains. The film is part of POV’s ongoing mission to bring compelling, human-centered stories to the public, and it arrives at a pivotal time, coinciding with the 10-year anniversary of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution. The collaboration between PBS and producer Matthew Torne shines a light on not just Nathan Law's fight, but also the global relevance of the ongoing struggle for democracy.
As the documentary airs in 2024, Law’s story has evolved, with many changes happening off-screen. After the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Law has continued his work in exile, particularly among the large Hong Kong diaspora in the UK. “For this year, I've been doing a lot of work because after the 2019 anti-government protests, there has been a massive exodus of Hong Kong people,” Nathan Law shared during a TCA press conference, appearing on a live video feed. Now living in the UK, he has focused on building movements and influencing the political and cultural discourse of Hong Kong from afar.
The challenges Nathan Law faces go beyond politics. In the film, we see his personal struggles, from being separated from his family to dealing with the mental strain of constant surveillance and threats. His journey illustrates the burden of political activism. “Maintaining mental well-being is an extremely important topic, but most of the time overlooked in activism,” Nathan Law said. He admits that despite being in danger, he continues finding ways to cope, whether through playing soccer or simply finding brief moments of joy.
For producer Matthew Torne, this documentary is a continuation of a story he has been telling for over a decade. He first began documenting the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in 2011 with Joshua Wong, another key figure in the protests. “I met Joshua Wong…at his very first protest when he was just 14 years old. He captivated me with how articulate he was,” recalled Torne. That relationship evolved into Joshua: Teenager Versus Superpower, a Netflix documentary, but as the story continued to unfold, Torne recognized that Nathan Law’s path was one that demanded further attention.
(Rob Latour/Shutterstock for Television Critics Association)
Despite personal challenges, including the inability to return to Hong Kong, Matthew Torne relied on his network of contacts in the region to continue filming through 2020, capturing Nathan Law’s transition from a key figure in Hong Kong to an exiled activist. “In terms of being on the ground, yeah I was on the ground up until 2020 when the national security law came in,” Torne revealed. It is this firsthand access to the events and Nathan Law’s experiences that give the film its emotional weight.
The film’s visual language reflects the oppressive atmosphere of Law’s situation. The interview location, chosen deliberately, adds to the film’s tone of isolation and tension. “The idea behind choosing the location was it felt quite Hong Kong-esque in that there are a lot of industrial high rises,” Matthew Torne shared. “When we were looking in London for a location, we were looking for something that maybe didn’t immediately scream London and that could pass perhaps as Hong Kong.” This setting puts the focus squarely on Nathan Law’s vulnerability and heightens the raw emotional honesty in his interviews.
Although Nathan Law remains exiled from his home, his commitment to Hong Kong and to democracy remains unbroken. Despite the apparent dominance of China’s authoritarian regime under Xi Jinping, Nathan Law holds on to a cautious optimism. “There are a lot of problems that are unnoticed or un-advertised… We will be witnessing a lot of changes in the next decade or two, and I think maybe some of those changes could lead to a free and democratic Hong Kong and China,” Nathan Law said.
Matthew Torne, too, sees the potential for change. He is prepared to continue documenting the story, knowing that authoritarian regimes can collapse overnight. “I don’t think I’m about to give up watching it… But I don’t have any hope that there’s going to be a final episode… Authoritarian regimes are notoriously brittle and they look impenetrable, but they can collapse overnight,” he reflected.
For POV and PBS, airing this documentary is more than just another film – it’s an opportunity to engage with global conversations about democracy and human rights. “This is a film that is relevant worldwide across the world,” shared POV executive producer Chris White. “This issue of democracy and what it looks like – in old democracies and new democracies – is ever-present.” With many nations grappling with democratic backsliding, Nathan Law’s story resonates far beyond Hong Kong, serving as a powerful reminder of the fragility of freedom and the resilience of those who fight for it.
Who’s Afraid of Nathan Law? is not just a film about one man’s fight – it is a cautionary tale about unchecked power and a call to action for anyone concerned with the future of democracy. The film airs tonight on PBS’ POV and can also be streamed online and in the PBS app.