“If it’s the right thing, don’t regret it.”
Adapted from true events in Hong Kong’s disability care homes, “In Broad Daylight” tells the story of an investigative journalist uncovering dark secrets of these care homes, including sexual abuse of girls, inhumane mistreatment of the elderly, poor hygiene and food conditions, and more, yet reporting on this did not bring about sufficient changes.
Inspired by Disability Care Homes Scandal
Mr. Kan started to write the script five years ago.“I remember the first time I read the article about the scandal in Hong Kong. It’s a shock in Hong Kong, and I just got triggered by that news,” he said.
Yet after he talked to the journalists behind the news report, he found it was way more complicated than he thought.
“When the news was published in Hong Kong, the care homes involved were banned by the authorities, so it made a huge impact.”
However, while some of the victims were thankful to the journalists, some blamed or even swore at them because the report made them homeless.
“I was shocked, and I think that perspective is something that I want to explore,” he said.
Scandals related to Hong Kong disability care homes are not limited to that one case.
During the preparation of the script, Mr. Kan talked to the victims’ families and social workers in an attempt to gain a broader perspective.
“I tried to get more perspective instead of just make it like a superhero movie,” he said. “I tried to make it as real as I can, because I really want to carry that struggle and sadness with the victims.”
‘Not a Superhero Film’
“I’m not trying to make it like a superhero film,” Mr. Kan explained about his disposal of the ending.“I try to put it in that way because you know, I know, everyone knows that this is reality. We try so hard to make changes and we always want to change the world, but somehow the reality is cruel, is sad.”
On the name of the film, Mr. Kan maintained that it is the most straightforward way to tell the audience about the crimes that happen in broad daylight.
“In a cinematic world, we always thought all the crimes, all the evil things are happening in the night. That’s why we have Batman,” he said.
Hope
At the end of the film, after finishing the report, Kay leaves the paper, leaving the world with one less journalist who stands up for justice.“Even though the reality is sad and cruel, at the end, the last shot of the film, there are people who are still doing these so-called stupid things,” Mr. Kan said.
“Sometimes we chose to be good, but we don’t get rewarded, but there are people still making changes… We’ll start small, and then maybe we can make a huge impact.”
The director argued that while people think this world is too sad and there is no hope, he personally takes hope as an attitude.
“Some people still believe it,” he said. “I think we have to keep believing it.”
