In October 1942, the Lisbon Maru, a Japanese transport ship secretly carrying over 1,800 British prisoners of war, was torpedoed off the coast of China by an American submarine unaware of its human cargo.
Through rare archival footage, survivor testimonies, and expert interviews, the documentary uncovers the harrowing journey of the prisoners as the ship began to sink, leaving them trapped below deck…
The film also highlights local Chinese fishermen who risked their lives to rescue as many prisoners as they could.
Before fleeing the sinking vessel, guards secured the hatches on the allied prisoners. "The intent was that the PoWs would go down with the ship," said Ken Salmon, from Hook, whose father was saved by Chinese fishermen.
This documentary is dedicated to all those who served, fought and saved lives in the Far East during WWII and beyond.
The documentary film (2 hours) will be shown, then followed by a Q&A session with Ken Salmon, whose father was a survivor.
Cast
1816 British Prisoners of War , Dennis Morley , William Beningfield , Lin Agen , Brian Finch , Tony Banham
Director Fang Li
Cinematographer Florian Zinke
Editor Lily Gong
Editor Tianming Li
Music Nicolas Errèra
Licensed bar (card or cash), with wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee, run by the VHC
