The Chinese documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru has its UK premiere in London. [Photo/Tide News]

The Chinese-produced documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru had its UK premiere on March 17 in London.

Among those watching were family members of British prisoners of war on the Lisbon Maru, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang, Fang Li, chairman of Zhejiang Laolei Film Co, and others.

The film will be shown in 25 screenings across 19 cities in the UK. It captures the timeless courage and kindness that transcend borders for a piece of history that deserves eternal remembrance.

The film tells the heartfelt story of British prisoners of war and Chinese fishermen during World War II (1939-45).

In 1942, the Japanese military commandeered the Lisbon Maru to carry British prisoners of war, and the ship was mistakenly torpedoed by a United States submarine near the waters of Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province. Local fishermen risked their lives to save 384 soldiers from the sinking Lisbon Maru.

Narrated in a restrained and objective perspective with profound material, the documentary reveals this forgotten history.

In the film, the British soldier John Weaver fell in love with a Chinese girl Liang Suqin before he boarded the Lisbon Maru. After Weaver's tragic death, his family continued to search for Liang for over 80 years.

Following the film's release, the movie production team, with the help of Chinese audiences, successfully found Liang. At the premiere, Weaver's and Liang's family members embraced in a tearful reunion.