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Free China: The Courage to Believe

Play trailer Poster for Free China: The Courage to Believe 2013 53m Documentary Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Jennifer Zeng and Dr. Charles Lee are jailed and tortured in China for their belief in Falun Gong, a meditation practice that swept the nation in the 1990s.

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Free China: The Courage to Believe

Critics Reviews

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Bilge Ebiri Spirituality & Health 03/24/2020
As it is, Free China is an interesting and moving film, but it is most likely preaching to the choir. Go to Full Review
David DeWitt New York Times 06/07/2013
4/5
[The] stories, unobstructed by any attempt at balance, build in narrative power ... Go to Full Review
Robin Migdol Village Voice 06/04/2013
Free China: The Courage to Believe delivers a powerful, if at times heavy-handed, warning: The systematic and state-sanctioned persecution of peaceful citizens is alive and well in China. Go to Full Review
Simon Foster Screen-Space (Substack) 11/02/2013
Free China: The Courage to Believe is a rousing call-to-arms, a demand that the international community take the same fearless approach that Zeng and Lee did in defiance of Chinese human rights atrocities. Go to Full Review
Brent Simon Shockya.com 06/08/2013
B-
A damning nonfiction look at the human rights abuses of China, as filtered specifically through the oppression of Falun Gong practitioners and two sympathetic, steel-spined subjects. Go to Full Review
David Noh Film Journal International 06/07/2013
Earnest, interesting, but not wholly satisfying treatment of China's Falun Gong movement. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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antti p 09/13/2013 An interesting documentary about how the people following the Falun Gong movement (and supposedly not just them) are heavily oppressed by the Chinese government with the helping hand from the Western consumers. The documentary could have done better if it wasn't all about Falun Gong, giving it almost a cult status which always raises some eyebrows of distrust on my part. See more 07/11/2013 One of the most power movies I have ever seen in my life. I hope everyone in the US government watches this movie and is moved to take action. See more 06/01/2013 A very thought provoking movie, showing that the communist government in China is still lying about what they do with their prisoners of conscience. A first hand, first class documentary See more 05/26/2013 Very good movie, we need to focus on Chinese and China freedom. I recommend the movie to everybody. Don't miss. See more 05/25/2013 A very fine movie, which reminds us of the things we take so much for granted. A movie that wakes you up to the true nature of humans, and how our Freedom of speech and of Belief can never be compromised. Neither should any humans lives be taken for their belief either. A MUST SEE See more Read all reviews
Free China: The Courage to Believe

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Movie Info

Synopsis Jennifer Zeng and Dr. Charles Lee are jailed and tortured in China for their belief in Falun Gong, a meditation practice that swept the nation in the 1990s.
Director
Michael Perlman
Producer
Michael Perlman, Kean Wong
Production Co
World2Be Productions, New Tang Dynasty Television
Genre
Documentary, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 31, 2013, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 3, 2019
Runtime
53m
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