Chinese director Fang Li’s WWII documentary “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru” is set for a theatrical release across the U.K. and Ireland starting this month, coinciding with commemoration activities for the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, it was revealed on the sidelines of the Hong Kong FilMart.
The documentary was China’s entry to the Oscars’ international film category race this year.
The doc uncovers the harrowing 1942 incident in which an American submarine torpedoed a Japanese transport ship carrying over 1,800 British prisoners of war off the Chinese coast. The U.S. sub was unaware of the human cargo aboard.
Produced by Laurel Films with Fang also serving as executive producer, the film utilizes rare archival footage, survivor testimonies and expert interviews to chronicle the prisoners’ ordeal as they became trapped below deck while the ship sank.
The documentary also highlights the heroic efforts of local Chinese fishermen who risked their lives to rescue as many prisoners as possible. “I first heard of the story about Lisbon Maru in 2014, when I was making a film on Dongji Island in China,” Fang said. “This is the biggest commitment I have made in my personal life to over 1,800 families.”
NGO U.K.-China Film Collab acquired distribution rights for the U.K. and Ireland earlier this year, planning what they describe as a “marathon” grassroots distribution model throughout 2025. “The motivation to release this film in Europe is our way to honor all those brave souls involved in the Lisbon Maru incident, from both sides,” said Hiu Man Chan, founder and director of the organization.
Brian Finch, who served as military advisor and associate producer, added: “I had been hoping for many years that a film would be made of this very important but almost completely forgotten piece of World War II history.”
The production has already united hundreds of family members worldwide who are related to the British POWs, leading to the establishment of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Assn. For many, this marks the first time learning about what happened to their loved ones in an incident overlooked for more than 80 years.
U.K.-China Film Collab previously distributed “The Six: An Untold Story of Titanic’s Chinese Survivors” and re-released Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution.”
