The wartime drama "Dead To Rights," a harrowing cinematic portrayal of the Nanjing Massacre during Japan's invasion of China, has struck an emotional chord with global audiences, igniting widespread discussion about the historical tragedy.
He Yunlinghao, a Chinese expatriate in Canada whose grandfather witnessed the Nanjing Massacre, was deeply moved after recently watching the film.
The 32-year-old man comes from a family in Nanjing and has been residing in Canada since 2011. Over the years, he has collected historical materials and photographs to tell the local community about the history of the Nanjing Massacre. He has donated hundreds of photos collected by his grandfather during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945), to a Chinese museum.
After watching "Dead To Rights," He Yunlinghao was profoundly affected, considering it an invaluable cinematic work that truthfully portrays that tragic chapter of history.
"China has produced numerous historical dramas, yet films addressing the Nanjing Massacre and other related historical events remain scarce. To have a film centered on this theme provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on this past -- this brutal chapter of history -- to the world through cinema. It's similar to how "Schindler's List" depicted the suffering of Jews in concentration camps," said He.
Marcus Detrez, a French national, was emotionally agitated and choked up after watching "Dead To Rights" last Thursday.
He had recently donated 618 historical photographs collected by his grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens. Many of the photos, taken between the 1930s and 1950s, document the Battle of Songhu in 1937.
"My family knew about these pictures. They never had the opportunity to talk about it, neither did they have the courage to do it. Then in 2021, I found the pictures and I didn't have the courage to show them right away," said Detrez.
Last Monday evening, Detrez handed over these photos at a ceremony held at the Chinese Embassy in France. The Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has incorporated these historical photos into its permanent collection.
Nanjing Massacre drama "Dead To Rights" strikes global emotional chord
