Watch Free China: The Courage to Believe
- 2013
- 53 min
-
6.7 (398)
Free China: The Courage to Believe is a documentary film from 2011 that tells the story of two Chinese people - Jennifer Zeng and Dr. Charles Lee - who have been persecuted by the Communist Party of China due to their beliefs. The film is directed by Michael Perlman and narrated by the famous actor, Navid Negahban. The movie presents a heart-wrenching account of how Jennifer Zeng and Dr. Charles Lee became victims of the Chinese government's repression. Jennifer was a mother and a former Communist Party member who began practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual meditation practice, in the late 1990s. When the government banned Falun Gong in 1999, Jennifer was arrested and sent to a brutal labor camp. The film shows her eventual escape and her journey to the United States, where she shares her story in hopes of raising awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Similarly, Dr. Charles Lee was a Chinese-American businessman who traveled to China in 2003 to provide free medical care to the poor. While there, he also spoke out about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. As a result, he was arrested, imprisoned, and subjected to a show trial, and is still being held in China. The film details the efforts of his family and supporters to secure his release.
The movie is a powerful and impactful exploration of the human rights abuses committed by the Chinese government against its own citizens. The documentary also features interviews with prominent human rights activists and politicians, including Harry Wu, David Kilgour, and Ethan Gutmann.
Free China: The Courage to Believe sheds much-needed light on the atrocities committed against Falun Gong practitioners in China. The practice has been banned in China since 1999, and its practitioners - who number in the millions - have been relentlessly persecuted. The film shows how the Chinese government has effectively silenced dissent and suppressed any attempts to challenge its authority.
The documentary also highlights the role of technology in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Since the government cannot arrest and imprison all Falun Gong adherents, it has resorted to using advanced technology to track, monitor, and persecute them. The film explains how the Chinese government has used the internet and other technologies to conduct surveillance and monitor the activities of Falun Gong practitioners. The movie is a timely reminder of the dangers of technology when it is wielded by authoritarian regimes.
Overall, Free China: The Courage to Believe is a powerful documentary that tells the human story behind the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The movie tackles important themes such as freedom, democracy, and human rights, and encourages viewers to take action to support those who are persecuted for their beliefs. It is a must-see film for anyone interested in human rights, Chinese politics, and the power of the individual to make a difference.
Free China: The Courage to Believe is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 53 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7.