The story of the rape of Nanking, one of the most tragic events in history. In 1937, the invading Japanese army murdered over 200,000 and raped tens of thousands of Chinese. In the midst of this horror, a small group of Western expatriates banded together to save 250,000. Nanking shows the tremendous impact individuals can make on the course of history.
Acting
Dorff and Hemingway read actual letters—no performative heroism, just raw humanity.
Writing
Letters and diaries woven into testimony; survivors speak, actors whisper.
Editing
Brutal rhythm: massacre footage, then sanctuary, then more horror.
Director
Bill Guttentag
Hugo Armstrong
John Magee
Rosalind Chao
Chang Yu Zheng
Stephen Dorff
Lewis Smythe
John Getz
George Fitch
Mariel Hemingway
Minnie Vautrin
Michelle Krusiec
Yang Shu Ling
Chris Mulkey
Mills McCallum
Woody Harrelson
Bob Wilson
Jürgen Prochnow
John Rabe
Leah Lewis
Banner Girl (uncredited)
Robert Wu
Li Pu
Mark Valley
Stage Manager
Sonny Saito
Higashi Sakai
Graham Sibley
Miner Searle Bates
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Nanking Safety Zone was essentially a foreign-occupied humanitarian corridor within occupied China—a colonial paradox that saved lives while exposing China's powerlessness.
John Magee's 16mm footage was smuggled out in a surgical gown lining; it became Exhibit A at the Tokyo Trials and was buried by the US for decades.
US
