Chongqing - September 3 marked the 79th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Chongqing held a screening event for the animated film "Phoenix in Fire" at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum.

Students experience history through the screening of "Phoenix in Fire". (Photo/Deng Yan)

"Phoenix in Fire," guided by the Chongqing Municipal Publicity Department and the Chongqing Municipal Film Bureau, and produced over five years by the Chongqing Historical Research Society and Chongqing Xianghong Film and Television Co Ltd, has been approved by the Central Publicity Department, the National Film Administration for nationwide release.

The film is adapted from Professor Zhou Yong's work "Kukan and Wartime Chongqing: A Historical Perspective on the Wartime Capital" and recounts the story of patriotic Chinese-American artist Li Ling'ai and Western journalist Rey Scott, who filmed the documentary "The 'Kukan': The Battle Cry of China" in Chongqing during 1939-1940. This documentary won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, marking the first such honor for a documentary.

The film features scenes of Chongqing from over 80 years ago, including the Eighteen Steps, Kuixing Tower, Jialing River, Hongya Cave, and the wartime stilt houses. It also depicts how Japanese aircraft turned the beautiful mountain city into a war-torn landscape, showcasing the resilience of the people as they sheltered from bombings, fought fires, built new homes, and contributed to Chongqing's development.

Snapshot from the film "Phoenix in Fire". (Photo/Deng Yan)

Lv Mingyue, the Moral Education Director at Zengjiayan Primary School, noted that the film's depiction of Chongqing resonates deeply with students and teachers, as the school once had an air raid shelter where they took refuge during the bombings. She emphasized that the film, presented in animation, serves as a vivid lesson in patriotism for the children.

The event's organizers hope that the screening will help educate the public, especially the youth, to appreciate this historical period, the bravery and resilience of past generations, and instill a sense of patriotic duty, inspiring efforts towards the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.