A Lisbon Maru film is heading to European cinemas telling the forgotten WWII.
China’s WWII tentpole Dongji Rescue will release in the U.K. and Ireland on Aug. 22. It’s a sweeping historical action drama based on the true story of the sinking of the Lisbon Maru.
A Humanistic and Intimate Story
The film dramatises the events surrounding the 1942 torpedoing of the Lisbon Maru, a Japanese ship covertly transporting 1,800 British POWs. After the vessel was mistakenly struck by an American submarine off China’s Dongji Island, more than 800 survivors were rescued by Chinese fishermen in an extraordinary act of wartime bravery.
Previously, the documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru has told the hidden historical event.
The narrative centres on fishing brothers Abi and Adang who shelter a British medic they discover at sea, triggering a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with occupying Japanese forces.
“Dongji Rescue is based on a true story which has particular relevance in the U.K., of course, as it involves British POWs in a desperate shipwreck, but also a specific resonance that can connect with everyone everywhere — a humanistic, intimate story on a large historic canvas, à la Dunkirk or Atonement, and we’re looking forward to audiences being wowed and moved to tears at the same time,” said Cedric Behrel, executive director of Trinity CineAsia.
Trinity CineAsia has acquired rights to release the film and will hold a U.K. premiere on Aug. 15, which is the day of the 80th anniversary of V-J Day.
A Deep Sense of Responsibility
Kevin Lee, a recognisable foreign actor in Chinese cinema he has appeared in blockbuster hits such as Snipers and Wolf Warrior. He was frequently cast as the antagonist, but in Dongji Rescue, Lee plays a heroic character.
In this film, he played Lieutenant Colonel Stewart, a real-life British Army officer who was saved by Chinese fishermen during the Lisbon Maru shipwreck in 1942. Lee is acutely aware that family members of the deceased will be watching, bringing him a deep sense of responsibility. “There was pressure to deliver, to honour the legacy,” he said.
His first scene was filmed on Dongji Island itself—the very place where the real events unfolded. Standing on that soil, knowing it once harboured POWs, was surreal. “I would often look out at sea and take a moment to myself,” Lee shared. “It was a poignant feeling. You could sense the history in the air.”
Written by Gu Yetao, additional reporting by China Daily.
If you liked this article, why not read: The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru Review: A Forgotten WW2 Tragedy
