Located in Harbin, the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army has become a spiritual anchor for Zhao Linshan, the director of the film 731. Throughout the 11-year creative gestation period, he has lost count of how many times he has entered and exited this place. Just before the global release of film 731 on September 18, Zhao led Wen Wei Po journalists once again into this exhibition hall, which commemorates the unhealed wounds of the Chinese people.
"This place cannot be summarized merely by pain and struggle; it requires profound judgment and insight," Zhao said. "We need a non-fear-based carrier for the memory of this history, and I hope this film can achieve that. It can also awaken people of different nationalities to a more intuitive understanding of the 'community with a shared future for mankind.'"
After 731 was scheduled for a global simultaneous release on September 18, Zhao began to experience habitual anxiety. To free himself from this uncontrollable emotion, half a month before the film's release, he immersed himself once again in the Evidence Exhibition Hall of the Crimes Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army. This time, his role was that of a volunteer docent.
Stepping into the relics of history
Zhao said, "The visible exhibits reveal only part of the crimes. The darkness buried deep underground remains inexhaustible, and more truths require collective exploration by more people." This statement seemed also directed at himself over the past 11 years.
Reflecting on the 11 years dominated by 731, Zhao found it difficult to pinpoint specific days or nights that could attest to the journey from hardship to resolution. The historical relics and vast archival materials often plunged him into endless darkness. During the five to six years of gathering evidence for the film, when horrifying details were laid bare before him, he felt as though he were trapped on an island.
It was only when he gradually discerned the atrocities whitewashed by the Japanese military's systematic lies behind the terrifying experimental imagery that light began to dawn for him. The story outline and core creative concept of 731 also gradually took shape.
"What is truly chilling is not these cruel images but the carefully woven system of deception orchestrated by Japanese militarism with state power. This is more terrifying than any experiment because it not only exists in history but is also closely linked to the present, affecting how we engage with the past," Zhao said. When he realized this, he finally found the core of the film.
"The creation of this film aims to elevate 731 from personal and national memory to a global memory, especially in the context of advocating for a 'community with a shared future for mankind.' Only by not forgetting this profound pain can people of different countries and ethnicities awaken to its lessons."
Global simultaneous release today
"To stand in the dark days of the past requires endless reflection and imagination of the night." Returning to the creative process, Zhao became increasingly clear about exposing the evils born of systematic violence. But the process of creation was like walking on a knife's edge—could the dignity of lives erased by evil be restored through film? What price did we truly pay in this war? He cited classic WWII films like Life Is Beautiful and Schindler's List. How these war legacies resonate deeply, becoming vessels of memory rather than symbols of fear, is crucial for the path ahead.
"We must not let resistance thinking dominate the sensory impact of evil. What we need is a non-fear-based memory, an idea that has always lingered in my mind while creating 731," Zhao emphasized.
According to the film's distribution plan, 731 was released simultaneously in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, and New Zealand on September 18. It will premiere in the U.S. and Canada on September 19, followed by releases in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, the UK, Germany, France, and other countries. The global simultaneous release marks a significant breakthrough for Chinese film distribution.
"This is an important opportunity to promote the progress of human civilization and a declaration of China's commitment to a 'community with a shared future for mankind,'" Zhao stressed. The truth must not only be remembered but, to some extent, responded to. The significance of the Mukden incidents on September 18, 1931, should be known to all. The release of 731 on this day carries special historical meaning—it is not only a profound memory for the Chinese nation but also a collective trauma that all humanity must confront.
Two viewing suggestions
As the release date approached, Zhao admitted his anxiety intensified. Previously, films on similar themes often focused on displaying crimes, using intense visual impact to draw attention to history, but also reminding audiences of fearful memories.
"This creation aims to engrave history by restoring the dignity of individual lives, not by deliberately exaggerating violence," Zhao said. He suggested that viewers watch the official trailer, making-of featurettes, and creator interviews in advance to clearly understand the film's narrative logic and how its visual presentation has been artistically processed.
"Knowing this in advance can dispel the misunderstanding that the film is filled with bloody scenes and help establish a calm viewing mindset." He also advised viewers to go to the cinema with companions, as post-screening discussions can provide emotional release and trigger deeper reflection.
"If you remember, then I have lived"
Thirty-seven years ago, the film Men Behind the Sun began with the words: "Friendship is friendship; history is history." It is said that the director fought hard to include this line, overcoming significant external pressure to ensure the creators' message reached the audience.
On September 18, 2025, as 731 was released globally, the director and creative team conveyed their message to the world with the phrase: "If you remember, then I have lived."
The word "names" has always been the most sensitive trigger for director Zhao. The bloodline of a nation and cultural heritage must be passed down through generations, and whether the names of heroes can be evoked and remembered is crucial for the continuation of civilization's flame. Names are equally weighty for 731 —they symbolize the resistance of human dignity when trampled upon, and these spirits deserve to be refined and remembered by history.
It can be said that 731 not only exposes systematic lies but also reveals a double murder: taking lives and erasing names. Zhao explained that in all human beliefs, when a name is erased, the soul has nowhere to rest, memory vanishes, and that is true death.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Hu Ruozhang; English Editor: Darius)
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