European premiere of WWII film 'Dongji Recue' held in London

The European premiere of the film "Dongji Recue" was recently held in London, the U.K., with Chinese Ambassador to the U.K. Zheng Zeguang attending and delivering a speech.

Zheng noted that although China and the U.K. were involved in different battlefields, the two countries shouldered the common mission of fighting against fascist aggression and defending human justice in the darkest times of World War II. The people of the two countries forged a deep friendship during the war. The most touching scene occurred in October 1942, when fishermen in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, braved a hail of bullets from Japanese troops to rescue 384 British POWs from the Lisbon Maru. The film "Dongji Recue" and the documentary "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" vividly depict the heroic deeds of the fishermen from Dongji Island.

Chinese Ambassador to the U.K. Zheng Zeguang delivers a speech at the premiere. (Photo/Yang Haopeng)

83 years have passed since the rescue of the British soldiers from the Lisbon Maru, and the world has undergone tremendous changes, but we should remember this valuable memory and continue the friendship between the Chinese and British people, Zheng said. The more turbulent the world becomes, the more we should promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.K., strengthen cooperation in various fields, jointly safeguard the outcomes of WWII, address global challenges, and make new contributions to world peace, stability and prosperity.

"Dongji Recue" is based on a real incident that happened in October 1942, when the Japanese army requisitioned the cargo-passenger 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 near the Zhoushan Islands in Zhejiang. Local fishermen risked their own lives to rescue the POWs while under Japanese gunfire.

Anthony Jones, chairman of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association, speaks at the premiere. (Photo/Yang Haopeng)

Anthony Jones, chairman of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association, has for years actively collected historical materials and visited survivors' families, continuously calling for international attention to this humanitarian event. He said that seeing films like "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" and "Dongji Rescue," which allow more people to learn about the true story of how Zhoushan fishermen risked their lives to save British POWs, is the best consolation for the deceased and the deepest tribute to courage and kindness. Jones hopes that such films will make this history be remembered by the world and inspire more people to cherish peace and friendship.

William Franklyn-Miller, who played British POW Thomas Newman in the film, attended the premiere with his family. He told People's Daily Online that through this filming, he learned about a little-known part of history and felt a responsibility to make more people aware of this past. He praised the fearless spirit of the local fishermen in rescuing the British soldiers and recalled feeling the warmth and friendliness of the local fishermen while filming on Dongji Island with Chinese actors. He expressed hope to visit the island again in the future.

Creators and representatives of different walks of life pose for a photo during the premiere of "Dongji Rescue."  (Photo/Yang Haopeng)

After the screening, many British viewers, including family members of the victims of the Lisbon Maru, expressed their hope that films on similar themes would help more people in the U.K. learn about this part of history.