Filmmakers of the historical war drama titled "731" appeared at the closing ceremony of the 20th Changchun Film Festival on Aug. 28 in Changchun, Jilin province to promote the film and appeal for peace, while stressing that the film aims to uncover historical truths and expose Japan's heinous war crimes.

Zhuang Yan, general producer of "731," promotes the film on stage alongside cast and crew at the closing ceremony of the 20th Changchun Film Festival in Changchun, Jilin province, Aug. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Changchun Film Group]

Zhuang Yan, general producer of the film and chairman of Changchun Film Group, noted that decades ago, Changchun Film Group co-produced films such as "Laboratory of the Devil" (1992) and "731 Fled" (1993) with Hong Kong-based companies.

He said the renewed production of "731" aims to encourage people to cherish peace and never forget this historical period by presenting a different perspective, while also revealing the ugly nature of Japanese militarism and imperialism.

"The film is scheduled to be released on Sept. 18, a special date. With a profound reflection on history, it represents the advocacy, respect and reverence for peace," Zhuang said on stage.

The release date coincides with the 94th anniversary of the Sept. 18 Incident in 1931, which marked the start of Japan's invasion of China.

The new film, directed by Zhao Linshan and starring Jiang Wu, Wang Zhiwen, Li Naiwen and Lin Ziye, exposes the horrific World War II-era human experiments conducted in Harbin, Heilongjiang province by Unit 731, the notorious germ warfare detachment of the Japanese Imperial Army. 

It exposes the crimes against humanity from civilian perspectives, showcasing the brave Chinese resistance against Japanese occupation. 

The story depicts how Unit 731 arrested civilians for human experiments as Japan faced imminent defeat. Victims such as vendor Wang Yongzhang were captured and taken to the prison with false promises of freedom in exchange for cooperating in medical research. He like many others were then subjected to frostbite experiments, poison gas exposure and vivisection.

"731" is a film that profoundly exposes the crimes against humanity committed by Unit 731. It restores the truth and condemns the crimes," said director Zhao. 

"It does not evade or alter the facts; it uses almost brutal visual language to show the details of the invaders' atrocities," added producer Zhang Wang.

The film was produced by Changchun Film Group after more than 10 years' careful preparation. Its creative team traveled to many places at home and abroad to collect authentic historical materials for an integration of real history and truth with artistic expression.

Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin as the nerve center for Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II. At least 3,000 people were used for human experiments by Unit 731, and more than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons.

Cast and crew of "731" pose for photo on the red carpet for the closing ceremony of the 20th Changchun Film Festival in Changchun, Jilin province, Aug. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Changchun Film Group]

One of the cast members, Sun Qian, noted that more than 3,000 people with known names are commemorated at the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in Harbin. "Behind this number lies the despair and screams of lives, as well as historical testimony of blood and tears," she said.

Another cast member Lin Ziye, added, "This film sounds an alarm in our hearts, inspires patriotic feelings, and reminds us to cherish peace."

As this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, a number of films related to this chapter of history have or are set to hit cinema screens both at home and overseas.