ARTS / FILM
Film about War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea donates box office share to salute Chinese People’s Volunteer Army veterans
Published: Sep 05, 2021 05:22 PM
Promotional material of <em>Remembering 1950</em> Photo: Courtesy of Maoyan

Promotional material of Remembering 1950 Photo: Courtesy of Maoyan

The studio behind Remembering 1950, a Chinese documentary about the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53), on Sunday announced that it was donating its share of the film's two-day opening box office to a charity organization dedicated to helping Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) veterans. 

Premiering in Chinese mainland theaters on Friday, the film made 1.07 million yuan ($165, 647) during its first two days. The studio's 227,000 yuan share of that take will be donated, according to the announcement. 

"We hope we can help these lovable people through the professional charity organization. We want to repay the 2.4 million PVA veterans and comfort the souls of the 197,653 passed heroes," the announcement noted. 

Song Shenru, the film's director, told people.cn that he met some veterans while filming an advertisement for a charity and was touched by the stories he heard while chatting with them. 

"For many times I couldn't help but cry while listening to their stories. I think if more people could hear their voices, they would feel the same," Song said, noting that this is what made him decide to shoot the documentary.

The production team spent four years interviewing about 50 PVA veterans, 26 of whom appear in the film, according to a report from the Guangzhou Daily.

"I owe these veterans a heartfelt debt. I promised them that they would see themselves on the big screen. However, some of them passed away during production, becoming my regret forever," said Song.

He added that he hoped very much that more young people could watch the film."The old veterans' strong will and indomitable spirit is the spirit of the times that young people need," he said.

The film currently has an 8.7 score on Chinese media review platform Douban.

Many Chinese moviegoers who said they were moved to tears while watching the film have taken to social media to call for more screenings in theaters, with some even purchasing tickets for others to promote and support the film. 

"The most impressive part of the film is when an elderly man surnamed Xue talks about his unfulfilled wish: bringing the remains of his comrades back to the motherland. I cannot truly understand what it must have been like experiencing life and death in the same trench," one Chinese netizen commented on Sina Weibo.

"My tears rolled from my eyes when I heard that one veteran said, 'The better the life, the more I miss you, my dear old comrades.' They used their youth to give us a peaceful life. This year, the eighth batch of the remains of these respected people will head home [from South Korea]. Let's pay tribute to our heroes," one netizen wrote on Douban.

On Thursday, the remains of 109 Chinese soldiers were returned by South Korea and arrived in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province.