Free China: The Courage to Believe

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Free China: The Courage to Believe

Released May 31, 2013

53m

Documentary

Biography

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100%

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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.

Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

As it is, Free China is an interesting and moving film, but it is most likely preaching to the choir.

Mar 24, 2020

Full Review

David DeWitt

New York Times

[The] stories, unobstructed by any attempt at balance, build in narrative power ...

Rated: 4/5

Jun 7, 2013

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Robin Migdol

Village Voice

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.

Jun 4, 2013

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Simon Foster

Screen-Space

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.

Nov 2, 2013

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Brent Simon

Shockya.com

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.

Rated: B-

Jun 8, 2013

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David Noh

Film Journal International

Earnest, interesting, but not wholly satisfying treatment of China's Falun Gong movement.

Jun 7, 2013

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antti p

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.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

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.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

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

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

Very good movie, we need to focus on Chinese and China freedom. I recommend the movie to everybody. Don't miss.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

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

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Michael Perlman

Director

Michael Perlman

Producer

Kean Wong

Producer

Tony Chen

Original Music

Tal Alzmon

Film Editing

Jo Burgess

Film Editing

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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: New Tang Dynasty Television, World2Be Productions
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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