Film premiere highlights Chinese fishermen's heroism
Shot by Hu Jun. Edited by Zhong Youyang.
The documentary had its world premiere on Friday at the Shanghai Film Art Center.
Documentary film "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" had its world premiere on Friday at the Shanghai Film Art Center, raising the curtain on the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival.
The documentary is among the most popular movies in the film festival's Film Panorama section. Tickets sold out in 10 minutes when online sales began on June 7.
The documentary records how Chinese fishermen risked their lives to save British prisoners of war on a Japanese cargo ship – the Lisbon Maru – after it was sunk by a torpedo from an American submarine off Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province in 1942.
During the 25 hours from the ship being hit to its sinking, the Japanese army sealed the British below decks.
The prisoners managed to break out and jumped into the sea but the Japanese started shooting.
At a critical moment, around 200 Chinese fishermen from Zhoushan arrived in sampans and saved 384 people from the water, providing them with food, clothing, and shelter.
From left: Taiwan film scholar and critic Peggy Chiao, British scholar and writer Tony Banham and Chinese mainland director Fang Li.
Director Fang Li is also a marine physicist.
It took Chinese marine physicist Fang Li seven years to make the documentary.
The crew visited the UK, the US, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, and Zhoushan in a search for historical material.
On-site interviews are combined with historical images and animated depictions of the event to uncover the truth behind this forgotten 82-year-old story.
"I decided to find out the truth of this event initially out of curiosity," said Fang, director and producer of the documentary. "Then I found the sunken ship, and at that time there were very few living witnesses to this event. I realized that I must record the event through the camera lens."
When he ran out of money during the making of the film, Fang sold all his properties to complete the project.
"It is my commitment to history, and to both the British and Chinese families whose lives are influenced by the sinking of the Lisbon Maru," said Fang. "Many touching stories about family love are depicted in the film."
A group photo of the film crew and descendants of British survivors.
Fang Li signs his autograph for a film fan.
Fang added that the film also hopes to convey a message of peace as the pain and impact that war brings to humanity are the same.
The film also received support from British scholar Tony Banham, author of "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru: Britain's Forgotten Wartime Tragedy."
"When Fang came to me, I knew that this man was serious," said Banham. "Fang is a physicist and he is a doer, not a talker."
The descendants of British survivors also extended their gratitude to Fang and the documentary crew at the film festival.
Centenarian Dennis Morley, the last British survivor from the ship, passed away in 2021. His daughter Denise Wynne once wrote a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing her sincere thanks to the Chinese people for the heroic rescue.
President Xi wrote back and encouraged her and many more British people to get involved in the maintenance of friendship between China and the UK.
Denise Wynne, the daughter of Dennis Morley, the last British survivor of the ship who passed away in 2021.
A poster advertises "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru."
Wynne, 75, on her first visit to China, said that going to Dongji Island in the East China Sea to see the sunken ship ruins has always been her wish, and this time it can be fulfilled.
The film's premiere received wide acclaim and moved a lot of cinemagoers to tears. Many viewers said the touching film about the light and brilliance of humanity is worth watching by everyone.
Taiwan film scholar and critic Peggy Chiao noted that through the film, audiences can be impressed by the noble qualities of humanity, people's strong will to survive, the spirit of mutual assistance, and touching family affection. In addition to the great humanitarian rescue, it also depicts the cruelty of war.
"The film reveals the worst and best aspects of war," Chiao said. "It records history and fills a gap in history. Today, all the survivors appearing on the screen have passed away. The film's significance is actually beyond the scope of cinema."
