Movie Screening: "Eternal Spring" (+Q/A with Director Jason Loftus)

In March 2002, a state TV signal in Changchun, China, was hacked by members of the banned spiritual practice of Falun Gong. Their goal was to counter the government's narrative and state-controlled media, which had constantly broadcast propaganda denouncing and demonizing the practice, effectively isolating them from the public.

In the aftermath, police raids swept through Changchun city, illegally arresting and torturing Falun Gong practitioners to trace the people involved in the TV station hacking. Comic book illustrator Daxiong, one of the practitioners, was forced to flee the city and eventually emigrated to North America. Initially, he blamed the hijacking for worsening the persecution. This view, however, was challenged when he met with the lone surviving participant who had escaped from China. Their interaction inspired Daxiong to tell the Changchun hijacking story to the world using his art.

See trailer here on IMDB.

Among winning multiple other awards, Eternal Spring (长春) was the only film qualified for the 2023 Academy Awards@ in all three categories: Best Documentary Feature, Best Animated Feature, and Best International Feature. It was Canada's official nomination for 2023 OSCARS@ Best International Feature Film.

"Extraordinary... the animation is some of the very best we have ever seen in documentary film."

- Documentary Grand Jury, Movies That Matters

"Beautifully animated, heart-wrenching, and inspiring."

- NRC (Dutch National Newspaper)

Screening Date: Friday, April 17, 2026.

Screening Time: 5:30 - 8:00 PM.

Location: In-person at Coffman Memorial Union Theater.

RSVP: Please register here on EventBrite or, if you're with the University of Minnesota, on GopherLink using the QR code on the front cover.

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