The documentary "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" was screened Friday on the Dongji Island in east China's Zhejiang Province, where the 1942 rescue of 384 British prisoners of war (POWs) by courageous Chinese fishermen amid heavy Japanese gunfire was vividly brought to life with digital precision.
The film recounts the tragic 1942 incident when the Lisbon Maru, carrying over 1,800 British POWs, was mistakenly torpedoed by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province. Amid the chaos, Chinese fishermen risked their lives to save 384 of the stranded soldiers.
Featuring interviews with over 130 descendants of the POWs and others involved, the documentary provides a detailed account of the sinking and reveals lesser-known, gripping aspects of the story.
"Our goal with this film was to preserve history. Throughout the interviews and research, we uncovered many deeply touching stories. Presenting these stories on the big screen allows the audience to connect with them on a profound emotional level," said Fang Li, the film's director.
"I had visited museums and read something about the Lisbon Maru, but not so profoundly, thinking that it was merely as a historical event. Watching this film really triggered my empathy," remarked Song Zhuoxi, an audience member.
Documentary revives Lisbon Maru rescue with digital precision
Savory mooncakes are becoming a new trend for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival within Singapore's Chinese community this year, prompting local bakeries and restaurants to experiment with innovative fillings such as meat, crayfish, salted egg yolk, and more.
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the Ngee Ann City complex is hosting a mooncake fair, attracting local and international bakeries and restaurants to offer a variety of options for residents.
While traditional flavors like lotus seed paste and crushed nuts remain popular, savory mooncakes -- particularly those with meat fillings -- have emerged as the hit this year.
"We started with Shanghai savory meat mooncakes and later experimented with crayfish, salted egg yolk, and our special recipe, crab meat mince mooncakes. We did not expect that, after launching them on the market, Singaporean customers would go from initially being surprised and shocked to fully accepting them. Now, they even place orders with us in advance," said Wang Yanqing, who initiated the creation of the new type of mooncake at a local restaurant..
The restaurant reports that more than 70,000 mooncakes were sold in just one month. The savory mooncakes have received many compliments and have quickly become a new local favorite.
"This is the first time I’ve tried a meat mooncake. Let me put it that way: it’s savory. It is a brand-new type of mooncake for us. It tastes very special, very innovative," said Fang Xiaolin, a Singaporean customer.
"Actually, it was the first time trying the savory mooncakes. I think it's so innovative and interesting because it's just very different from the usual mooncakes that we have in the market, so it tastes really savory and fresh, and I think a lot of Singaporeans will like it," said Fu Lina, another Singaporean customer.
In addition to enjoying a variety of mooncakes, Singaporean Chinese celebrate the festival with lantern shows, similar to traditional Chinese customs. The annual Mid-Autumn lantern show lights up Niu Che Shui Chinatown every night, attracting both locals and visitors.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has long been a cultural cornerstone for Chinese communities around the world.
Savory mooncakes gain popularity as Singapore celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival
