European Festival Premiere | Out of Competition
China, 2024, 122’, Chinese, English, Japanese
Directed by: Fang Li
Screenplay: Fang Li
Cinematography (color): Florian Zinke
Editing: Li Gong, Tianming Li
Music: Nicolas Errera
Producer: Fang Li
Cast: Brian Finch, Tony Banham, Lin Agen, Dennis Morley, William Beningfield
Date of First Release in Territory: September 6th, 2024
If there is a Hollywood logline for The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, it would cheekily be “This is the Dunkirk of the East.” Directed by Fang Li, this universally lauded documentary delves into the harrowing events surrounding the sinking of the Lisbon Maru during World War II. The Lisbon Maru was a Japanese cargo ship repurposed to transport over 1,800 British prisoners of war (POWs) from Hong Kong to Japan. In October 1942, the vessel was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine near the Zhoushan Archipelago in East China’s Zhejiang Province. The Japanese crew sealed the POWs in the ship’s hold, leading to the deaths of 828 men. Remarkably, local Chinese fishermen risked their lives to rescue 384 survivors from the sea.
Fang Li, a geophysical exploration and marine technology expert turned filmmaker, was inspired to document this largely overlooked episode after learning about it from fishermen on Dongji Island in 2014. His dedication led him to locate the ship’s wreck in 2016 and subsequently interview survivors, descendants, and historians across China, the UK, Japan, the US, and Canada. This extensive research culminated in a documentary that combines personal testimonies, historical footage, and realistic reenactments to vividly portray the tragedy and the profound humanity displayed by the rescuers.
Internationally, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru was selected as China’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards. However, it was deemed ineligible due to the predominance of English dialogue. Despite this setback, the film has been praised for its empathetic portrayal of the events and its emphasis on the courage and compassion of ordinary individuals amidst wartime atrocities. The film serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring human spirit and the importance of preserving such historical memories.
Fang Li
Geophysicist by training, Fang Li is a well known film producer. Dam Street (2005), Summer Palace (2006), Lost in Beijing (2007), Buddha Mountain (2011), Double Xposure (2012), The Continent (2014), Ever Since We Love (2015), The Fallen Bridge (2022) are among his most noteworthy productions. He is also the founder of Laurel Films and Laurel Technologies.
FILMOGRAPHY
2024 – The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru