This film is part of Free
Hong Kong Happenings Part 2
Scenes of typhoon-torn Hong Kong captured by a local resident.
Overview
A series of elegiac panning shots taken by an amateur filmmaker reveal the devastation wrought by a typhoon that swept across Hong Kong and nearby islands in September 1937. We are invited to contemplate the damage and admire the resilience of the residents as they clear the debris and start to rebuild their damaged homes.
Contemporary newspaper reports estimate that the disaster resulted in a death toll of around 400 people and that an aid appeal for £1000 was made in the UK to help towards the rebuilding programme.
Related
Hong Kong East Meets West Hong Kong East Meets West
Documentary 1940 24 mins Silent Location: Hong Kong
This intimate study of Hong Kong explores the life and landscape of the former British colony in exquisite detail.
A Drive Round the Island of Hong Kong A Drive Round the Island of Hong Kong
Home movie 1935 18 mins Silent Location: Aberdeen
Join a group of ex-pats on a tour around Hong Kong, long before it became defined by its skyscraper skyline.
Around the New Territories - Hong Kong Around the New Territories - Hong Kong
Amateur film 1938 14 mins Silent Location: Tai Po Road
The famous island is only part of Hong Kong, as this intrepid amateur explorer-cum-filmmaker reveals in this intriguing travelogue.
Hong Kong Happenings Hong Kong Happenings
Home movie 1938 13 mins Silent Location: Hong Kong
Striking snapshots of life in a colonial outpost in the 1930s.
The Streets of Hong Kong - Wintertime 1936 The Streets of Hong Kong - Wintertime 1936
Amateur film 1938 17 mins Silent Location: Hong Kong
Christmas decorations jostle for attention among thousands of street signs in this amateur exploration of Hong Kong Island’s busy streets.
Typhoon Hong Kong September 1937 Typhoon Hong Kong September 1937
Amateur film 1937 8 mins Silent Location: Hong Kong
Poignant amateur footage records the aftermath of one of the worst typhoons in Hong Kong's history.
New Perspectives: La Haine New Perspectives: La Haine
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Charlie Hammersley, a student from Northumbria University, explains how Mathieu Kassovitz's 1995 film holds up a mirror to society.
Dreamers Q&A Dreamers Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
The film-makers behind a haunting tale of love and community within a UK immigration detention centre visited the BFI Southbank to discuss their film.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 50 mins
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation at BFI Southbank, discussing the making of One Battle After Another.
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.