Deep Dive: Eternal Spring (2023)
Film Lens
Eternal Spring is a 2022 Canadian animated documentary directed by Jason Loftus. It focuses on the 2002 hijacking of television stations in Changchun by Falun Gong practitioners, which was a significant event in the context of China's repression of ethnic and religious minorities. The film uses animation by Chinese artist Daxiong to depict both the historical events and the personal stories of those involved, providing a visual narrative that intertwines past and present experiences of trauma and resistance.
The film premiered at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival on March 15, 2022, and later won the Hot Docs Audience Award for most popular film. It was also Canada's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, marking it as the first animated documentary submitted by Canada. The film has received generally favorable reviews, with a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 71 on Metacritic.
Why Watch
- •See Daxiong's childhood memories of Changchun come to life.
- •Meet the brave individuals behind the 2002 hijacking.
- •Find out about China's repression of religious minorities.
Did You Know
•Eternal Spring was announced as Canada's submission for the 95th Academy Awards in August 2022.
•The film won the Hot Docs Audience Award for most popular film in 2022.
•It is the first documentary and animated film submitted by Canada for an Oscar.
•The film holds a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 33 reviews.
Perfect For
Falun Gong historyAnimated documentariesChinese cultural studies