A documentary portraying the tragic Nanjing Massacre of World War II has draw critical acclaim at the US Sundance Film Festival.

Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman directed the film, which shows the violence the invading Japanese troops committed against the citizens of Nanjing, then capital of the Kuomingtang government, from a western perspective.

The movie draws on a large number of historic pictures and written records to tell the story of brave western people, including German John Rabe and American Minnie Vautrin, who set up the Nanjing International Safety Zone, which protected more than 200,000 local citizens after Japanese forces invaded Nanjing.

The film-makers interviewed around 80 survivors and retired Japanese servicemen who witnessed the massacre while they were making the film.

Producer Ted Leonsis said he hopes the movie will help people learn the truth about the Nanjing Massacre and focus other film-makers' attention on the incident.
 
(CRI January 27, 2007)