Rather Be Ashes Than Dust

When fear dictates, objectivity retreats. What are the challenges journalists face when covering increasingly challenging global crisis of war, civil disobedience, famine and hunger? Witnessing acts of government crackdown and injustice, should they remain objective? What are their choices when the government turns against them? Although journalism is not listed as one of the most dangerous professions, journalists have been killed, kidnapped, imprisoned, attacked, and accused of spying while doing their job. Using the Hong Kong protest movement in 2019 as a backdrop, this film follows a Hong Kong video-journalist who recounts his experience during the protest movement that leads to his decision to leave Hong Kong.