Peace and remembrance took centre stage at the premiere of Dead to Rights (Nanjing Photo Studio) as guests reflected on the enduring lessons of war.
The film, which revisits the horrors of the Nanjing Massacre, reminds audiences that history must be remembered to prevent future conflict.
(Front, from fourth left) Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong) president Goh Tian Chuan, Abdul Majid and Ouyang holding up film mementos at the premiere of ‘Dead to Rights (Nanjing Photo Studio)’ in Kuala Lumpur.
Singular Asset Management founder Teoh Kok Lin said the film underscored how history, however painful, must be remembered as a safeguard for the future.
He added that its tagline, “Remember History and Cherish Peace”, strikes a chord at a time when global conflicts were a reminder that peace was fragile and unsustainable without collective resolve.
Malaysia-China Friendship Association president Datuk Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan said: “Peace is precious, and harmony among nations must never be taken for granted.
“Eighty years on, as our world continues to grapple with wars, rivalries, uncertainties and shifting geopolitics, that mission remains urgent and unfinished.
“The lesson of the Second World War is clear: humanity cannot afford the cost of another great conflict.
“On this solemn anniversary, let us reaffirm our commitment to peace, to harmony and to mutual respect among nations.”
Teoh and Abdul Majid were among more than 200 guests invited to a special screening to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the “Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War”.
Teoh: Global conflicts are a reminder that peace is fragile.
Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, who addressed guests before the movie, said the special screening was held to jointly remember history and cherish the homeland.
“Nanjing Photo Studio recreated the suffering and struggle of Nanjing in 1937 with a profound historical perspective and stunning artistic expression.”
He described the war as an unprecedented catastrophe in human history.
“About two billion people in more than 80 countries and regions around the world were involved in it.
“In Malaysia, countless people were also massacred during the Japanese invasion.
Poster for ‘Dead to Rights (Nanjing Photo Studio)’.
“This history is not only a Chinese memory, but also a common trauma for Malaysia and all mankind,” said Ouyang.
The screening was hosted by China Cultural Centre at Dadi Cinema in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
Present at the Sunday event were Star Media Group group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt and chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng.
The film will be in cinemas nationwide from today.
