Confronted with government denunciations and human rights violations against their spiritual practice, a group of Chinese activists executes a bold and perilous plan to hack into state television.
In March 2002, a state TV signal in China is hijacked by members of banned spiritual group Falun Gong. Their goal is to counter the government narrative about their practice.
In the aftermath, police raids sweep Changchun City, and comic book illustrator Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars), a Falun Gong practitioner, is forced to flee. He arrives in North America, blaming the hijacking for worsening a violent repression. But his views are challenged when he meets the lone surviving participant to have escaped China, now living in Seoul, South Korea.
Combining present-day footage with 3D animation inspired by Daxiong’s art, Eternal Spring retraces the event on its 20th anniversary, and brings to life an unprecedented story of defiance, harrowing eyewitness accounts of persecution, and an exhilarating tale of determination to speak up for political and religious freedoms, no matter the cost.
Screening Schedule
- Hot Docs, May 3 @ Varsity Cineplex and May 6 @ TIFF Bell Lightbox
(Canadian Spectrum Competition, First-time Filmmakers Competition and Audience Award eligible, North American Premiere)
- New York Human Rights Watch Film Festival, May 23 @Lincoln Center and May 24 @IFC Center
(one of ten official selections, US Premiere) - Krakow Film Festival, May 31, June 2
(Oscar-qualifying International Documentary Competition, Polish Premiere)WEBSITE: www.eternalspringfilm.com
Social Media: @loftyskydocs
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Director and Writer: Jason Loftus
Additional Writers: Masha Loftus, The Pearman Brothers
Producer: Jason Loftus
Producers: Yvan Pinard, Kevin Koo
Executive Producer Masha Loftus
Director of Photography John Tran, csc
Animation Director David St-Amant
Editor: David Schmidt
Lead Concept, Storyboard, and 2D Artist Daxiong
Music By Tom Hill
Casting & Voice Director for Animation Masha Loftus
Featuring: Daxiong, Jin Xuezhe ("Mr. White"), Lan Lihua ("Xiao Lan"), Wang Jianmin, Zhang Zhongyu , Wang Liansu, Wang Huilian
Animation Cast: Daxiong Himself, Jin Xuezhe "Mr. White" Henry Guo, Liang Shi Jian, Big Truck Ben Li, Little Wei Yu Feng, Zhang Wen Tan Junfeng, Lei Ming Yu Zhicheng, Liu Weiming Tony Bai, Aunt Zhou Zhang Yuhuan, Sister Chen Xiao Yanrong