Documentary on Lisbon Maru rescue premieres in Hong Kong
The documentary was based on true stories of the Pacific War. In October 1942, the Japanese army requisitioned a cargo vessel "Lisbon Maru" to carry more than 1,800 British prisoners of war (POWs) from Hong Kong to Japan.
In violation of international conventions, the Japanese army did not put any markings on the ship to indicate the POWs inside. Torpedoed by the U.S. army, the vessel sank in the waters off the Zhoushan Islands in east China's Zhejiang Province. Local fishermen risked their own lives to rescue 384 POWs under Japanese gunfire.
"Hong Kong is where the story of the 'Lisbon Maru' began," Fang Li, producer and director of the documentary, told Xinhua.
It was particularly significant to be able to show Hong Kong viewers the story and humanity behind the story on the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, said Fang, who spent eight years making the documentary.
The historical episodes in the documentary are a reminder of hard-won peace and stability, Starry Lee, a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said at the ceremony. Remembering the past will help enable Hong Kong residents, especially the younger generation, to better understand patriotism, she said.
The documentary will hit screens on July 24.
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