'Dongji Rescue' presales begin as wartime story draws online buzz

The highly anticipated summer blockbuster "Dongji Rescue" officially began nationwide presales on Tuesday and is set to hit theaters on August 8.

Inspired by the real-life "Lisbon Maru" incident during World War II, the film tells the powerful story of Chinese fishermen who risked their lives to save over 200 British prisoners of war after a Japanese transport ship sank off the coast of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, in 1942. According to historical records, Japanese forces refused to help the trapped prisoners of war after the sinking and even fired on those trying to escape. This led to a mass tragedy that was partly averted thanks to the bravery of Dongji Island fishermen.

To faithfully recreate the era and the scale of the rescue, the production team filmed on location at Dongji Island and the surrounding waters, using IMAX cameras for the underwater sequences. They also created a full-scale replica of the sunken ship and assembled over 20 seaworthy fishing vessels modeled after those from the 1940s. The authenticity of the film is further grounded in years of field research and the oral histories from more than 50 descendants of those involved.

Starring Zhu Yilong, Wu Lei, and Ni Ni, "Dongji Rescue" has already generated major buzz online, with over 284,900 users having marked it as a "Want to Watch" on the movie ticketing platform Maoyan, reflecting strong audience anticipation.