To Tell the Truth: The Liu Binyan Story 2006
Distributed by Cinema Guild, 115 West 30th Street, Suite 800, New York, NY 10001; 212-685-6242
Produced by Meggie Miao
Directed by Meggie Miao
DVD, color, 59 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Asian Studies, Biography, Human Rights, Journalism, Media Studies, Political Science
Date Entered: 11/08/2007
Reviewed by Margaret M. Reed, Riley-Hickingbotham Library, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, ARWhen celebrated Chinese dissident and journalist Liu Binyan died in 2005, his government attempted to silence him once again, blocking the news of his death. The work of up-and-coming filmmaker Meggie Miao, however, keeps Liu’s legacy alive.
To Tell the Truth chronicles Liu’s life-long struggle to report corruption and social injustice in hopes of encouraging the Chinese Communist Party to uphold its ideals. His outspokenness in official government publications landed him in labor camps for more than 20 years. After being expelled from the party a second time, he lived in exile in the United States, never allowed to return to his beloved China.
The film’s archival footage provides an overview of Chinese political milestones since the Communist takeover in 1949. Miao skillfully weaves these images with her own narration and interviews with Liu, his family, and his associates. Deeply moving and at times emotional, their accounts reveal the personal nature of sacrifice that so many have endured at the hands of a repressive regime.
Highly recommended for school and university libraries, To Tell the Truth is an outstanding resource for journalism, history, and political science courses.