The highly anticipated film "Dead To Rights" held its Canadian premiere on the evening of Aug. 7 in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. In Vancouver, over 300 attendees, including representatives from the Chinese Consulate-General, Chinese-funded organizations, and members of the local Chinese community, joined the screening.
Before the film began, audience members held up posters and postcards related to the movie, expressing their remembrance of history and their hope for peace. As the credits rolled, the theater was enveloped in silence. Many attendees, with tears still on their faces, remained seated for a long time before quietly leaving the venue.
Markham Deputy Mayor Michael Chan praised the film's significance, highlighting its role in educating international audiences about the atrocities of the Nanjing Massacre in December 1937. He said that this movie gives Canada and North America a chance to understand this brutal history.
Qian Hua, Chairwoman of the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, said the movie left her with a heavy heart. "The film authentically recreated that painful chapter of history. This period is absent from many overseas textbooks, but it must be remembered," she emphasized, urging Canadians of all ethnicities to watch the film, learn from history, and cherish peace.
A Toronto resident described the film as shocking and deeply real. "Sometimes it was actually hard to watch because of how intense the scenes were," he admitted, adding that he felt guilty for not knowing such events had occurred.
A viewer from Nanjing shared that every year on Dec. 13—a day of remembrance for the Nanjing Massacre—air raid sirens ring throughout the city. "Even though I now live abroad, every generation finds its own way to remember this history," he said.
Chinese Acting Consul General Zeng Zhi also attended the Vancouver premiere. He stressed that remembering history is not about perpetuating hatred, but about learning from the past to respect history and protect peace. Zeng highlighted the cooperation between China and Canada during World War II and expressed his hope for continued collaboration to uphold historical truth, defend international fairness and justice, and promote global peace and development.
The film is set to premiere in Saskatoon on Aug. 10 and Calgary on Aug. 11, with a nationwide release across major Canadian cities beginning Aug. 15.
(Source: CCTV News)
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