Nanking

In 1937 Nanking, then the capital of China, was the scene one of the 20th century's bloodiest civilian massacres. Tens of thousands of people did not survive the rampaging of Japanese troops after they had conquered the city, while women were raped en masse. The only hope for inhabitants was a "security zone" created by a number of Europeans and Americans. Unarmed and without official protection, these missionaries, teachers, doctors and business people refused to flee as the Japanese got closer to the city, witnessing the massacres with their own eyes. This unique picture by two–time Oscar winner Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman focuses on the dramatic period following the conquest of Nanking. It combines unique archive footage with fictional reconstructions of scenes in which actors play real–life heroes. Among those interviewed are orphans who saw their parents murdered and former soldiers who themselves murdered and raped. The film Nanking, which won a jury award at Sundance, presents an extraordinarily powerful portrayal of events that the world should never forget.