THE SINKING OF THE LISBON MARU

里斯本丸沉没

China's Entry to the 97th Academy Awards
Highest audience-rated Chinese film of 2024
Top 3 highest-grossing Chinese documentaries of all time

Director: Fang Li | Co-directors: Ming Fan, Lily Gong

117 mins | Documentary | English, Chinese, Japanese | China | 2024

Marginalized by dominant historical narratives, one of the Pacific War's deadliest disasters caused by "friendly fire" among Allied forces—the sinking of Lisbon Maru—has remained largely unheard by most.

In October 1942, off China's eastern coast, an American submarine torpedoed what it believed to be a Japanese troopship, unaware that the vessel was actually a "hellship" carrying 1,816 Allied prisoners of war. When the Lisbon Maru began to sink, Japanese forces abandoned the vessel, leaving the British POWs battened below deck to face certain death. Some prisoners managed to break free and reach the water, only to face merciless gunfire from Japanese soldiers. In the chaos, 828 men were either shot or drowned.

The unfolding tragedy caught the attention of Chinese fishermen on nearby islands. Risking their own lives under enemy fire, an entire village of courageous civilians paddled hundreds of sampans into the deadly waters to rescue survivors. Their efforts ultimately halted the Japanese assault, saving 988 lives.

Seventy-two years later, while on the same island, renowned geophysicist and film producer Fang Li learned of this anecdote from a villager. He knew that time was running out to preserve this buried chapter of history. His years-long quest to uncover the truth is captured in this documentary, China's official entry for the Academy Awards' International Feature Film category as well as a surprise box office hit in the country.

Through meticulous research of historical records and deeply personal interviews with survivors and their families from all sides of the conflict, The Sinking of Lisbon Maru weaves together a comprehensive and vivid reconstruction of this tragic event. The film's intimate storytelling delivers profound emotional impact while highlighting how civilian voices have often been overlooked in history. Though the pain and trauma of war continue to haunt the families across generations, the documentary ultimately reveals how humanity's limitless resilience, compassion, and courage can triumph even in the most unimaginable circumstances.

AWARDS

Golden Rooster Awards

Winner, Best Documentary

Shanghai International Film Festival

Winner, Documentary Film of the Year

REVIEW QUOTES

"This enthralling and shattering Chinese documentary benefits from superb material...Directors Fang Li, Ming Fan and Lily Gong do an exemplary job of recounting this tragedy from the British, Chinese and (to some extent) Japanese perspectives with a piercing empathy. Fang’s even-handed humanism allows him to excavate this emotional wreckage on all sides... it’s potent stuff; it’s hard to see a blockbuster treatment being more affecting than this."

-Phil Hoad, The Guardian

"There’s archival footage of the war, and there’s an animated retelling of the events, but at the heart of this often-gripping and heartbreaking film are the people and the very personal stories within the larger story. The real power — the pure emotion — then comes from the survivors, and the families of those who either survived or perished."

-Mathew Scott, Hollywood Reporter

"This is important. The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru is nothing short of a miracle. Uncovering any trace of the story was like going on a treasure hunt. I thought I would get a quick retelling of the event, but director Fang Li offers so much more. He honored the men who were lost by telling their stories...the film conveys a sense of urgency...the film’s two-hour runtime never feels long or labored. Its stories and interviews are engaging and do nothing but lift up the memories of the Greatest Generation."

-Alan Ng, Film Threat

"Tragic as it is, the film also feels like a thriller in places, and despite the volume of information involved it is never dry. It succeeds in taking a neglected chapter of wartime history and making it feel like part of the present moment. A surprisingly optimistic piece of work, it’s a moving tribute to all those who were lost...It’s an extraordinarily thorough film..Although there is simply too much story for every area to be fleshed out in detail, it’s plain that a huge amount of research has gone into it, and there’s an impressive quantity of archive footage included...Here, directors Fang Li, Ming Fan and Lily Gong bring them to life through detail."

-Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film

"One of the most extraordinary stories from World War II, paradoxically, is one of the least known. The Oscar-Contending Doc tells an incredible story of villainy and heroism."

-Matthew Carey, Deadline

Available License Types:

Public Performance Rights (PPR)

The license allows an organization to hold screenings of the film on its own grounds, to groups of no more than 50 people, and where no admission is charged.

(For screenings that charge admission and or with an audience of more than 50 people, please send booking inquiries to info@chengchengfilm.com)

Digital Site License (DSL)

The License allows an organization to provide digital streaming on a password protected server only to registered students, members, researchers, faculty and staff.

Available Formats:

Digital File

High Quality 1080p mp4 file

Subtitles: Subtitles in English and Chinese

Spoken Languages: English, Chinese, Japanese

Not Rated, Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (16:9 Widescreen)

Disclaimer: All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reproduced are reserved. Unauthorized copying, hiring, lending, public performance, radio or TV broadcasting of the disc is prohibited.

Licensed by Cheng Cheng Films. www.chengchengfilm.com