Film Culture Worker Liu Jin Seeks Judicial Review Over Exclusion from Hong Kong Film Archive Researcher List
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Film culture worker Liu Jin has filed for judicial review against the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Film Archive, demanding that his role as project researcher be reinstated in the ninth volume of the Hong Kong Film Chronicle. Liu argues the Archive departed from its established practice by only crediting him in an acknowledgment list rather than listing him as a project researcher. The Archive contends this was an editorial decision that should not be subject to judicial review. The judge indicated a ruling will be delivered by October 30 this year.
Key Points
- Liu Jin has been recognized as an expert in Hong Kong film history and culture, teaching film history and directing at CUHK and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts .
- Since 2005, Liu was hired as a project researcher for the Hong Kong Film Chronicle, researching Hong Kong films produced between 1965 and 1989 .
- Over approximately eight years, Liu created around 1,600 film archives for 1970s productions and 1,300 archives for 1980s productions .
- Volumes 6 through 8 of the Chronicle, published between 2007 and 2014, listed Liu as project researcher, but Volume 9 published in June 2025 only acknowledged him among 60 other individuals and institutions .
- The Archive's legal representatives argued that Liu only performed preliminary data collection and input work for Volume 9, warranting only acknowledgment rather than project researcher credit .
Why It Matters
This case could set an important precedent regarding how Hong Kong's cultural institutions handle contributor recognition and whether editorial decisions by government-funded bodies are subject to judicial oversight. For researchers and cultural workers, the outcome may influence expectations around proper acknowledgment of their professional contributions in publicly funded publications .
This case could set an important precedent regarding how Hong Kong's cultural institutions handle contributor recognition and whether editorial decisions by government-funded bodies are subject to judicial oversight. For researchers and cultural workers, the outcome may influence expectations around proper acknowledgment of their professional contributions in publicly funded publications .