Documentary on Shanghai’s Jews to air on Dragon TV

The documentary Song of Survivors, inspired by Shanghai-born Chinese-Canadian Bei La‘s novel of the same title, is set to premiere at 10 pm on Feb 16 on Shanghai Dragon Television.

The documentary tells the story of renowned US film producer Mike Medavoy and his parents Michael and Dora Medavoy, who were Jewish refugees. Michael and Dora lived in Shanghai for 24 years.

Their son Mike, who was born in Shanghai, is considered one of Hollywood‘s most successful producers, having worked on over 300 feature films, including the highly acclaimed Black Swan. 

The film follows Bei La, friend of the Medavoy’s, as she unearths details of the family’s past in Shanghai.

Through the use of historical archives and old objects, the documentary showcases the memories of Jewish refugees in Shanghai.

Bei La, who has a keen interest in the Jewish community in China, has over the years been focused on highlighting the history of Shanghai through literature, music and films.

Xu Shuwei contributed to this story.