The film resurrects an under-documented episode from WWII — the sinking of a Japanese transport ship carrying hundreds of British prisoners of war and the heroic efforts of nearby Chinese fishermen to rescue them.

China has picked World War II documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru as its submission for the Oscars’ best international feature film category. Directed by Fang Li, the film’s selection is the first documentary that the country has picked as its representative at the Academy Awards.

China has chosen filmmaker Fang Li's Second World War documentary, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, as its official entry for a Best International Feature Oscar. It is the first documentary film from China to compete in the Academy Awards since it started to send films at the event.