Struggles of emigrating from Hong Kong and returning to it depicted in short film
Moving to another country is stressful, but returning home can be just as tough. Kristie Ko’s own experience inspired her short film
Like many Hongkongers who moved abroad in recent years, Kristie Ko Sze-yeuk is well acquainted with the woes of leaving everything behind to start anew in a foreign land. After all, the 31-year-old relocated across continents three times between her late teens and her mid-twenties to study and work.
When she returned to Hong Kong in 2020, after eight years in London and Los Angeles, she also learned that for those who return to their birthplaces after extended periods, there can be a new sense of self-doubt and a fresh set of challenges.
This inspired her to write and direct Homecoming and Going, a 19-minute short film depicting how people both leaving and returning try to convince themselves and each other that they are making the right decision for their future, and the internal struggles they experience.
The story follows a fresh Hong Kong immigrant to the UK who, with her boyfriend, takes over the flat of an old friend in London who is heading in the opposite direction, back to Hong Kong, the next morning.
As the three spend the day together, visiting a local pub, an Asian supermarket and a park, they discover things about each other’s journeys and the emotional obstacles that come with emigrating and remigrating.