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Issue: 826 Date: 6/22/2006
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Rape of Nanking - documentary film NOW SHOWING IN NANJING, CHINA
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By Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D.
Running Time: 77 MinutesColor & Black & WhiteProduced by: Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D. & Haiyan WuWritten, Directed, & Produced by Rhawn JosephProduced in Northern California, USAISBN: 0974975583UPC: 821601666644Phone: 408-286-9833http://RapeofNanking.info
NOW SHOWING: San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Cupertino, Milipitas,Campbell... New York, WDC...and Nanjing!
1) We are pleased to announce that our 77 minute documentary, "Rape ofNanking" has been acquired by Nanjing TV which is planning a nation-widebroadcast, on July 7, in association with Guangdong Province, satellite TV.
July 7 is an very important date in the Chinese calendar: theanniversary of the Japanese attack on Beijing, followed by the invasionof Shanghai and the Rape of Nanjing.
The broadcast of our film required government approval.
Only 20 foreign films a year are allowed into China and most are heavilyedited. We have been informed that our film will not be edited.
The Rape of Nanking is an incredibly sensitive and important event tothe Chinese. Thus it is an incredible honor to have a film on thissubject, produced in the West (California), aired in China and broadcastfrom the city where these atrocities occurred.
1). We have refused payment, fromNanjing TV. This is to honor the victims of the Nanjing massacre, andto honor the over 100 individuals who have contributed and donated over$50,000.00 to produce this film.
2). We are also pleased to announce that we are about to sign a dealwith a major Hong Kong distributor, which is planning to show our filmin theaters throughout Asia, in the latter part of 2007--probably inDecember which is the 70th anniversary of the Rape of Nanking.
3) We are planning a theatrical release of this film, in the USA, in thelatter part of 2007. We have not yet entered into discussions withpotential distributors.
4). Over 50 articles praising this film have appeared in the Chinese andChinese-American media, and reviews of this film have been shown tostanding-room-only crowds, here in the USA, with audience members(usually 80% Asian, 20% White) typically left in shock and in tears.Audience members have been so moved that they have donated thousands ofdollars to help promote this film--One donor handed us a check for $10,000.
White audience members are also left in shock--and typically they feelangry: angry that they had never before heard of these crimes. And whyis that? U.S. government, and U.S. media complicity in covering upthese atrocities, so that Japan could be used as a force againstcommunist China and the USSR.
5). The Mandarin and English editions of this film haven been shown andwill continue to be shown (by libraries, community centers, smalltheaters), free of charge, until December of 2006--at which point wewill temporarily withdraw the film (see http://RapeofNanking.info fordates and show times). We will provide free copies and allow freeshowings by an library, community center, theater, or public TV station,which contacts us between now and December 2006.
This is part of our unconventional marketing plan. And so far, it hasworked.
6). Between now and December 2006, anyone wishing to purchase a DVD ofthis film, can acquire it, online, for $15.00, athttp://RapeofNanking.info. --at which point the DVDs will no longer besold until after the planned theatrical release in late 2007.
This is also part of our unconventional marketing plan. And so far, wehave taken in nearly $100,000.00 in sales (and contributions).
7). ABOUT THE FILM:
Our film is a shocking, scholarly, work of art.
Many documentaries are produced in an almost identical fashion i.e.there is a host-narrator and/or witnesses, or experts, who periodicallyappear on-camera. In my opinion, the insertion on "talking heads" canbe rather jarring, and detracts from the artistry of the film, and candisrupt the mood and the imaginal-continuity of the flow of images andemotion--particularly if the documentary concerns historical events. Idislike it when the narrator or "expert" tries to tell the viewer howthey should think and what they should feel.
Thus, we avoid "talking heads" which makes this documentary differentfrom all others.
Rather, we use music and a variety of often shocking images to tell thestory, and to convey specific meanings and messages that do not requirea narrator.
Likewise, most documentaries, particularly those shown on PBS, usebackground music without regard for the emotional or imaginal qualitiesof the sound, and often only to fill silence.
By contrast, we use the musical background to help convey multiplelevels of meaning as well as emotion. The music-background, can,itself, tell a story. Thus, we matched music to the images and togetherthe music and the images, themselves, tell a complex, multi-facetedstory replete with multiple levels of meaning and irony.
The narrator, therefore, is just one component of the film, and thenarrator never appears on-camera.
THE PRODUCERS, WRITER, & DIRECTOR:
Dr. Rhawn Joseph, obtained his Ph.D. from UHS/The Chicago Medical Schooland completed his Internship at Yale. He is the author of dozens ofscientific discoveries published in prestigious scientific journals, andis the author of several "best selling" trade books and text books. Dr.Joseph co-wrote what became the highest grossing one-man play in thehistory of Broadway, and wrote, directed, and produced the Rape ofNanking. Dr. Joseph's previous film, "Hitler's Diaries" has been shownon PBS stations and was previewed by CBS/KPIX which called the film,"Mesmerizing."
Haiyan Wu, who co-produced and narrated the Mandarin edition of Rape ofNanking, is an award winning director, producer, and reporter fromChina Central TV. Her programs were featured on CCTVs most popularstation and most popular program, and her shows were repeatedly named:"best program of the year" and "best program of the season." In one30-minute, CCTV program, Ms. Wu directly challenged Chinese governmentpolices on work-place safety. This program was shocking. Injured workershad been denied basic health care and were shown missing arms, legs,hands, due to work-place injuries. The Chinese government was soimpressed they honored her with a major award for her reporting, andlabor-health policies were changed.
Ms. Wu admits to having horrible nightmares while working on this film.However, without the assistance of Ms. Wu and her PR firm, "Your ChinaConnections" (http://JoyWu.com), it would have been much more difficultto sell this film to China. |
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