Director Gao Qunshu recently told China.org.cn that his new film, "Survival," is a homage to the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army and the first to depict the force's complete history.

A still from "Survival." [Image courtesy of Rockview Pictures]

The film was made not only to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, but also because of Gao's long-standing interest in the rarely portrayed Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. 

"Today, we have many films and TV series based on stories of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, yet many people, especially younger generations, no longer know much about this history of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army or its heroes like Zhao Yiman and Yang Jingyu," Gao said. "Their history has been largely overlooked. It felt significant to me to create something to remember them by, before they are forgotten entirely."

Gao described his mission as "using cinema to salvage history," presenting the story of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army from 1938 to 1945 and showing what a remarkable force it truly was.

He explained that the army was initially fragmented — a mix of forest bandits, remnants of Nationalist forces, and Communist Party of China (CPC)-led uprisings, all operating independently. The CPC later united them under a single principle: anyone fighting the Japanese should join together. This led to the creation of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, a force of complex and often volatile nature, which grew to eleven corps.

"The War of Resistance in China lasted 14 years and began in Northeast China," Gao mentioned. It started with volunteer militias fighting the Japanese, which later evolved into the united army. Yet much of this history remains overlooked. "Many aspects of this struggle have not received the respect and recognition they deserve."

The film is adapted from the memoir of Li Min, who served in the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. More uniquely, it employs a documentary style to narrate the story through the perspective of a female soldier, drawing directly from Li's experiences.

"This memoir stands out for its authenticity and emotional depth. It feels very genuine and is deeply moving," Gao explained. "I found that many of the accounts it describes are not only truthful but also strikingly fresh and unheard of. It presents real history, yet it feels novel precisely because these stories have rarely been told before. It doesn't just focus on hardships — it also depicts how they survived. These details feel vivid and revealing."

The film also highlights female soldiers, who came from all ages and backgrounds — soldiers' families, workers, and teenagers. While their duties included sewing uniforms and nursing the wounded, they also endured constant pursuit from the enemy forces. 

"Day after day, they were hunted, forced to flee and relocate under overwhelming siege. They witnessed companions fall one after another, yet through it all, not one woman betrayed or deserted," Gao said. He added that some of those female soldiers later went to the Soviet Union, where they witnessed first-hand the achievements of a great socialist country — an experience that would deeply inspire them.

Director Gao Qunshu speaks to the audience at the premiere of "Survival" in Beijing, Aug. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Rockview Pictures]

Gao, known for "The Tokyo Trial" and "The Message," conducted research and filmed on location across China's three northeastern provinces. He drew stories and inspiration from journals and memoirs of other veterans, whilst weaving accounts of renowned heroes into the film.

The director emphasized the immense hardships faced by the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. "They had no rear area — their rear was the frontline. In the blink of an eye, the enemy could surround them by daybreak. Moreover, many members were non-combatants. For such personnel to endure such brutality — such immediate life-and-death situations — illustrates why they are remembered as the most hardened and suffering force in the War of Resistance. This is a profoundly telling example of their extreme plight."

From an initial force of 30,000 soldiers, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was reduced to just over 700 survivors during the war — yet these resilient men and women successfully contained 700,000 Japanese troops, along with hundreds of thousands of collaborationist puppet soldiers and police. Facing encirclement by more than a million enemy troops, their survival alone makes them worthy of remembrance and honor.

"Why are they the survivors?" Gao asked. "To portray survival is also to portray those who made that survival possible. This was a collective — an inseparable group. Truth be told, fighting the Japanese was also about fighting to stay alive. No one fought because they wanted to die. When confronted with the choice between life and death, some may have chosen death, but everyone wanted to live. Those who survived endured unimaginable hardship. That's why I decided to tell the story of this group of survivors."