CIFF

Eternal Spring

CIFF Streams

April 2, 2023 - April 9, 2023

directed by
Jason Loftus
year
2022
country
Canada
language
Mandarin, English
runtime
86
closed captions
No
audio description
No
english subtitles
Yes
film contact
The Film Collaborative

Chinese censorship and its long-lasting repercussions are highlighted in this animated documentary (Canada’s official Oscar® entry), done in the breathtakingly expressive style of comic book artist Daxiong, about the time when religious movement Falun Gong hijacked a Changchun TV signal to spread its anti-Communist message. —M.G.


In 2002 some members of the outlawed spiritual group Falun Gong hijacked China’s state TV, broadcasting a PSA denying the government's narrative about their beliefs and practices. Following the heist, thousands with ties to Falun Gong were beaten, arrested, and tortured. Some fled China to escape persecution, including famed comic-book artist, Daxiong (Justice League, Star Wars). Decades later and living in Toronto, Daxiong confronts his own complex feelings about the hijacking. Speaking with “Mr. White,” the only hijacker to escape China, Daxiong brings that fateful night to life through comic-style illustrations, giving the misunderstood rebels the superhero treatment through animated sequences inspired by his art. Some viewers may associate Falun Gong with their controversial outreach organizations—The Epoch Times and Shen Yun—but the documentary’s focus is not on Falun Gong as an organization. Instead, ETERNAL SPRING asserts the bravery and ingenuity of the individual hijackers and the hardships they endured while fighting for freedom against an oppressive state. —D.O.


GUEST(S) ARE SCHEDULED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR Q&A




Asian Cinema
CIFF47 Streams
Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition