“Forever” in Heart: The Third Shen Zhou International Film Festival

【Shen Zhou News, July 19th, 2009】 The Third Shen Zhou International Film Festival opened today in Tokyo, Japan. Among the seven films exhibited, “Forever”, as the newest tour de force of Shen Zhou, made its debut and deeply touched the audience. Public awareness of the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong was further raised by this movie.
Congressman of Tokyo, Tuwu Jingzhi, attended the festival and expressed his persistent concern about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. He said human rights have no boundaries, that voters should also judge a candidate also by his attitude to human rights and the status quo against human rights in the neighboring big state should not be ignored.
Secretary of the headquarters of the Chinese Democracy Coalition and head of the Press Release Department of the Japan branch of the Chinese Democracy Coalition, Mr. Xia Yifan, gave thanks to the director and the whole cast and crew for their great work to encourage people to advocate human rights, freedom, justice, and to fight with despotism. He said spiritual belief is the foundation of the democratization in China.
Musical instruments specialist Jibei Xiannan appreciated the invitation and
remarked that the pure beauty in real art can move people.
The festival also received congratulatory letters from all walks of life in Japan, which also expressed their wishes to stop the persecution in China as early as possible.
The first-run film “Forever” tells about a story of Weng Yongcheng, who was a Falun Gong practitioner. Upon having his heart purified while cultivating Falun Gong’s principles(Truth, Compassion, Tolerance), he was persecuted to death by the CCP just one day before his wedding ceremony. Jing Yuan, his fiancée, was still wearing her bridal veil when she was informed of this grievous news. She swore before she left China that,”I will make your story known by more people, have the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong stopped as early as possible, and help more girls become the real happy brides.”The words of the grieved bride deeply shake the audiences’ heart and many of them had tears rolling down from their faces.
After the movie show,Wang Jinwei,the director together with the leading actors and actresses, lined up on the stage and answered questions of the audience. Everyone who raised questioners said they did not expect the film to be so touching. One of the local audiences expressed his willingness to know more about Falun Gong. Another one was curious that where the cast and crew were mainly from. When finding that the majority of them were from Tokyo and the capital rim, he was amazed by the first but brilliant cooperation of such a pure team.
Wang Jinwei told the mediums that all the cast cooperated successfully and was wholeheartedly devoted to present such a movie, so as to call for the stop of persecution of Falun Gong in China. She expressed her gratefulness to all the people who were concerned and because of this, she said, “the significance of the film can be embodied.”
Wang Jinwei said the movie is touching because it is true. Such a love between two people was torn apart right then on July 20th , 1999, the day the CCP started its illegal crackdown on Falun Gong. Jinwei hoped that the audience attending the show could help distribute the DVD of the film, have their comments and impressions known to more people. According to Wang Jinwei, this film will be exhibited around in Japan.
This film was inspired by the real story of Mr. Zuo Zhigang, a Falun Gong practitioner who was abducted in his workplace by Li Rongqi, the head of the Nation Security Brigade of Qiaoxi Police Bureau in Shijiazhuang City, and was tortured to death only after one night, at his age of 33. The bridal chamber that his parents prepared for him is still empty today, and his grandmother who is over 90 years old still believes that her grandson is working abroad and will come back to her sooner or later……
“Film is an art with regret. However, with all the cast’s hard work and full devotion, this film can be free of regret.” Wang Jinwei said.
Another film,”Dream Land”, which was adapted from a story of the Chinese classic novel “Jinghuayuan”, also drew great attention. A Japanese couple had very big interest in this film, the wife said that such a dreamlike and romantic story embodies a different culture and is very impressive. The husband also suggested adding a short introduction of the novel “Jinghuayuan” in the prelude of the film so that the normal Japanese audience can understand it better.
After the award and closing ceremony, a special complementary show was provided, in which the representative work of the First Shen Zhou International Film Festival, “Shaking the World”, was once again presented together with the newest movie “Forever”.

(Epochtimes Reporter, Zhang Benzhen, from Tokyo)
http://www.shenzhoufilm.com/sz/en/2009/07/19/a10082.html 2009-7-19 01:27