The corrupt government and the violent machinery complement each other. Through gratitude education and propaganda, they try to make us forget the painful memories, to make us forget our power and obligation to hold the government accountable. But we have not forgotten, and we will not forget – although sixteen years have passed since the Wenchuan earthquake, the images in the documentary serve as a testament to our memories.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and the 16th anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake.
On May 12, “Star-Catching Agency,” “Brain-Smashing Podcast,” in collaboration with “WOMEN We Are,” screened the documentary film “Our Children” at the Milpitas Library. Through sharing Ai Xiaoming’s series of documentaries, they called on the Chinese community in the San Francisco Bay Area to pay attention to the long-term suppression of Chinese citizens by the Chinese Communist Party, to pay attention to conscience prisoners like Huang Qi, Tan Zuoren, and others, from the Tiananmen Square protests to the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake, to today’s stories.
“Our Children,” filmed in 2009, was director Ai Xiaoming’s first documentary about the shoddy construction in the Wenchuan earthquake.
The film documents the events before and after the Sichuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. The main narrators are the parents of students who perished in the earthquake, with interspersed commentary from media workers, independent scholars, online writers, geologists, environmental and legal workers expressing their views on the Wenchuan earthquake from different perspectives.
Yang Yu participated in the filming of “Our Children” in 2008. He recalled that when he and his Hong Kong Radio Television documentary crew entered the disaster area, there was a pervasive smell of decaying bodies. Two reporters who had previously covered the Iraq War said that the scene in the disaster area was even more terrifying than the war in Iraq.
Yang Yu emphasized that the documentary is not news; it is history. It not only portrays personal states and emotions but also reflects the form of society. Through the documentary “Our Children,” one can see the specific operating mode of the Chinese government.
Mr. Wang, an engineer, believed that many scenes in the documentary had a profound impact on people. Especially the footage showing the post-disaster reactions of parents and the conditions of the deceased. He pointed out that this incident revealed the government’s dereliction of duty in handling the matter.
Mr. Chen, an audience member from Taiwan, stressed that it was his first time watching this documentary, but the impact he felt was profound. He expressed deep gratitude to “Star-Catching Agency,” “Brain-Smashing Podcast,” and “WOMEN We Are” for jointly organizing this meaningful event because they took a stand and did this.
Austin remarked, “Many contents in the documentary are not visible in domestic news. With the Olympics about to take place, the whole country was enveloped in national pride, and no one delved into the stories behind these schools, how the school authorities handled the situation, and why the quality of school construction was so poor. The national media reported according to the requirements of the state and the government – what they released was what everyone saw.”
He stated that abroad, everyone’s efforts, every small team’s power, can help more people understand the truth because the truth can never be covered up. ◇