This is important. If Li didn’t make this documentary, the story would have been lost forever as he documents his hunt for anyone who could tell this story. At the beginning of the film, he found one sole surviving British POW who was on the ship as the others had passed from old age. Li was then coaxed into placing ads in U.K. newspapers for the possibility that there would be more. He found another in British Columbia. He was then able to find one last witness from the sole surviving Chinese fisherman rescuers. He also found records of the American who fired the torpedo and was able to meet with the survivors decades after the event.
The documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru is nothing short of a miracle. Uncovering any trace of the story was like going on a treasure hunt. With the majority of the players no longer with us, Li interviews the children and grandchildren of the POWs. Many barely remembered their fathers, and most never knew them, but they had heard stories of their heroism. I haven’t even discussed the heroism of the Chinese fishermen who hid the POWs for days and ultimately led them back to the U.K.
“…the film conveys a sense of urgency, as this may have been the last chance to tell the complete story.”
With all the pieces in place, we learn about the brutal treatment these POWs endured during the sinking. They were nothing short of war crimes, and the Japanese military at that time worked tirelessly to cover them up. Li uses computer modeling to recreate the schematics of the Lisbon Maru, presenting haunting CG dioramas of the ship’s hold, their brutal treatment, and their slaughter in the ocean.
When I started watching The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, I thought I would get a quick retelling of the event, but director Fang Li offers so much more. He honored the men who were lost by telling their stories. He was also at the right place at the right time, and the film conveys a sense of urgency, as this may have been the last chance to tell the complete story. Lastly, the film’s two-hour runtime never feels long or labored. Its stories and interviews are engaging and do nothing but lift up the memories of the Greatest Generation.
"…The documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru is nothing short of a miracle."
