Source: CRI

04-29-2009 20:08

The long-waited film 'John Rabe' finally opened to Beijing audiences on Tuesday, April 28. Cast members including leading German actor Ulrich Tukur as well as director Florian Gallenberger came to Beijing for the film's Asia premiere.

Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu (left) and German actor Ulrich Tukur (right) view John Rabe's original dairies, which were collected by Rabe's grandson Thomas, at the film's Asia premiere in Beijing on  April 28, 2009. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Xu Liuliu]

'John Rabe' is based on the true story of the head of the Nanjing branch of the Siemens company who helped save 200,000 Chinese people in Nanjing from Japanese troops in 1937. Nanjing was then known as Nanking.

The film is adapted from John Rabe's book named 'A Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe'. It recorded the 1937 Nanking Massacre in which around 300,000 people were killed by Japanese troops.

At the annual German Film Awards ceremony which concluded last Friday, 'John Rabe' grasped seven nominations and was crowned with four awards including the Best Film award and Best Actor award for Ulrich Tukur, who plays Rabe.

Although John Rabe is a popular figure among Chinese people, most Europeans may know little about the hero before watching the movie. Indeed, Ulrich Tukur himself confesses he knew little of Rabe before taking the role.

"Before seeing the script, I did not know the story at all. I was absolutely amazed by it."

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