A dissident. An SOS note.
China’s cruelest labor camp.
As an official selection of Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary film festival, our latest feature is already making big waves. In competition for "Best Canadian Feature Film," Letter from Masanjia is a staggering look at what happens after a desperate SOS note written by a former prisoner of conscience changes history — and then prompts him to begin secretly filming human rights violations in China for the world to see. Watch the trailer below. |
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A truly incredible story...
When an American mom discovers an SOS note stashed in a package from Kmart, she never imagines it will lead to the closure of Masanjia, China's most notorious labor camp. When news of the note goes viral, the writer, a Chinese engineer who had been jailed for his spiritual beliefs, fears for his life and his family's safety. Realizing the spotlight is a chance to further expose the brutality of the Chinese regime, he decides to make a film about the harsh reality of being a human rights defender in China, and risks his life in the process.
For over a year, the SOS writer, Sun Yi, details his entire story on film, as he revisits his torturous past at Masanjia, and is hotly pursued by authorities. Secret-camera footage and harrowing glimpses of his personal life offer a rare look inside China's terrifying police state through the lens of a political dissident, showing us a true modern hero who will stop at nothing to expose the truth. |
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In Letter from Masanjia, Julie Keith of Damascus, Oregon, grapples with her decision to go public with the letter, and makes a choice that changes her and her family's lives forever. |
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The SOS note that made its way across the world: "People here have to work 15 hours a day... suffer torture, beating..." |
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After his letter becomes world news, Sun Yi bravely documents details of the terrifying daily realities for activists in China in order to expose the truth about ongoing persecution and obstruction of freedom. |
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Crucial Moment, Crucial Film
Citizens of China are currently being denied the basic freedoms of belief, speech, assembly and press, and can be imprisoned, and even killed for trying to exercise these rights. Tibetans, Christians, human rights defenders and, above all, Falun Gong practitioners like Sun Yi are targeted for such abuse. The voices of these populations are so rarely heard due to censorship in China, where the risk of speaking out is extremely high. It was Sun Yi’s wish that this film open people’s eyes to how the Chinese government truly treats its citizens. Letter from Masanjia is a tribute to the hundreds of thousands who have been persecuted and are wrongfully imprisoned to this day.
The persecution of Falun Gong in China is one of the largest and most severe cases of human rights violations in the world (Learn more here). With the Chinese government removing their presidential term limit, the current president Xi Jinping who has been cracking down on democracy activists is now permitted unlimited rule. So there has never been a more crucial time to act on this injustice. As we learned after the news of Sun Yi’s SOS note went viral, public pressure from outside of China can affect the Chinese Communist Party’s attitude towards dissidents. Please join our Facebook page to be a part of the action.
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Get involved in public pressure and support initiatives to end the persecution of dissidents in China. By following Letter from Masanjia’s Facebook page you can:
- Join the conversation
- Share with your network to raise awareness
- Learn about premieres and screenings near you
- Get important news on the topic
- Learn when the film becomes available to stream
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Thank you for helping us carry on Sun Yi's work. Exposing repression in China and restoring freedom and justice is only possible with your help. |
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