Restored documentary reveals Japanese bombing of Chongqing in WWII

From August 19 to 20, 1940, the Japanese military launched a devastating bombing campaign on urban Chongqing. At the risk to his life, American correspondent Rey Scott filmed the entire course of the bombing. Over the past 85 years, this footage was long lost, but rediscovered after a painstaking search, and carefully restored. Today, we can witness the history of the bombing once again through this rare footage.

The footage of the Chongqing bombing is part of Scott's documentary "Kukan," which was funded by Chinese-American playwright Li Ling-Ai and filmed across Chongqing, Guizhou, Gansu and other regions of China. "Kukan," which means "bitter struggle" or "hard work" in Chinese, offers a rare glimpse into the Chinese people's resistance against Japanese aggression during World War II. Released in New York on June 23, 1941, the film received an Honorary Academy Award at the 14th Academy Awards.

Long believed lost after the war, the film was eventually brought back to the public eye through the joint efforts of Chinese and American scholars and filmmakers.

The restored version of the film premiered at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on June 24, 2025.

[Video source: Western China International Communication Organization]