Official US Trailer for ‘Dongji Rescue’ About the Lisbon Maru Sinking
by Alex Billington
August 1, 2025
Source: YouTube
“Our ancestors said, all in peril at sea must be saved.” Well Go USA has revealed an official US trailer for a Chinese rescue thriller titled Dongji Rescue, set during the early days of World War II in 1942. Based on the true story of what is known as the “Lisbon Maru Sinking Incident” – a terrible massacre at sea. Dongji Rescue is co-directed by a Chinese filmmaker named Hu Guan, who also directed the excellent film Black Dog from last year, and tons of other acclaimed films. In 1942, a Japanese ship carrying British prisoners of war was torpedoed by an American submarine. Dongji fishermen from China risk their lives to rescue over 300 British soldiers, and rescuing & protecting 3 British individuals during a large-scale search by Japanese forces after the sinking. This stars Zhu Yilong, Wu Lei, Ni Ni, Yang Haoyu, Chen Minghao, William Franklyn-Miller, Ni Dahong, Li Jiuxiao, and Wang Yiquan. This is one helluva trailer! Intense from start of finish – this looks like a proper epic WWII survival and rescue film. I really want to watch this now.
Here’s the official US trailer (+ poster) for Hu Guan & Fei Zhenxiang’s film Dongji Rescue, via YouTube:
The film is based on true history from World War II: In 1942, a Japanese cargo ship known as the “Lisbon Maru” carrying more than 1,800 British prisoners of war was torpedoed by an American submarine in the waters near the Zhoushan Islands. Nearby Dongki fishermen risked their lives to rescue 300 British servicemen, and protected & rescued 3 Britons during a massive Japanese search. This event is known as the “Lisbon Maru Sinking Incident.” Dongji Rescue, also known as 东极岛 in Mandarin, is co-directed by two Chinese filmmakers Hu Guan (director of the films Dirt, Cow, Design of Death, The Chef The Actor The Scoundrel, Mr. Six, Run for Love, My People My Country, The Eight Hundred, The Sacrifice, Black Dog, A Man and a Woman) & Fei Zhenxiang (director of Candle in the Tomb: The Worm Valley, Love Like the Galaxy, In Spite of the Strong Wind, She and Her Girls). The screenplay is written by Shu Chen, Runnian Dong, and Ji Zhang. Produced by Jing Liang. This just opened in China this week in July. Well Go USA will debut Dongji Rescue in select US theaters starting August 22nd, 2025 coming soon. Interested?