One of the lesser known yet fascinating threads in the complex storyline of Shanghai’s history is the city’s role as a save haven for European Jews during WWII. A new documentary that’s currently making the rounds at festivals around the world, Above the Drowning Sea sheds light on this important tale.
Narrated by Juliana Margulies (The Good Wife, ER), Drowning Sea chronicles how Shanghai was one of the only cities in the world that opened its borders to European Jews fleeing the continent in the late 30s, despite being caught up in its own foreign and civil wars. The film highlights the courageous actions of Ho Feng Shan, the Chinese Consul in Vienna who defied both his own government and Nazi-controlled Europe by issuing Chinese visas to Jewish refugees.
The cast of interviewees includes both Jewish and Shanghainese residents of the period. After screening at festivals everywhere from Madrid to New Jersey, the film will hopefully see a wide release later this year.
For more information, visit abovethedrowningsea.com
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