What’s On: National screenings set for Under a Bamboo Sky in the lead up to ANZAC Day

Singapore, 1945. Informal portrait of two ex-prisoners of war of the Japanese soon after their arrival at the Changi gaol in Singapore from Thailand. Source: Australian War Memorial, http://www.awm.gov.au

Directed by Serge Ou (Ride, Runn, Ford vs Holden, Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks), Under a Bamboo Sky is a previously untold tale of human connection, hope and resilience in the face of great tragedy. Using new technology, it brings to life the unbelievable true story of Australian soldiers held prisoner by the Japanese in WWII.

Narrated with the immediacy of the voices of those who were there, the documentary weaves the oral testimonies of more than 60 former POWs together with archival footage material colourised for the first time and new location footage to deliver a moving, intimate and revelatory first-hand account of their experience.

Captured during the Japanese offensive and imprisoned in Singapore’s Changi Barracks, the film follows the years long journey of these soldiers through four countries: forced into slave labour building the Thai Burma Railway, shipwrecked at sea, and sent into factories and down coal mines in Japan. After bearing witness to some of WWII’s most history-defining events, including the atomic destruction of Nagasaki, they tell of returning home to families, wives and sweethearts after years away, and of the price they paid for the trauma they endured.

Shining through the horrors of war is the spirit of these men who, remarkably, demonstrate an inspiring human capacity to hold onto hope in the worst of circumstances. Under a Bamboo Sky is their story.

Find more information on the film and screenings here.

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