10 movies about the Nanjing Massacre

1987, Massacre in Nanjing, directed by Luo Guanjun

A Chinese doctor puts his life on line to record on camera Japanese atrocities.

1988, Sanctuary, directed by Han Sanping and Zhou Li

An American clergyman provides shelter for Chinese refugees, and three courtesans take the place of female students in confronting Japanese soldiers.

1995, Black Sun, directed by Tun Fei Mou

Also known as Men Behind the Sun 4, this Hong Kong production tackles the well-known cruelties that accompanied the downfall of Nanjing.

1995, Don't Cry, Nanking, directed by Wu Ziniu

A Chinese man and his Japanese wife are caught in the crossfire of war, both literally and morally.

2004, Xixia Temple 1937, directed by Zheng Fangnan

A group of Buddhist monks provide shelter to refugees and smuggle out evidence of Japanese killings.

2007, Nanking, directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman

A US-produced documentary gives a framework of the events as well as some of the harrowing details of the tragedy, with actors reading passages from the diaries of Minnie Vautrin and John Rabe.

2007, Iris Chang - The Rape of Nanking, directed by Anne Pick and Bill Spahic

Iris Chang was the Chinese-American writer whose research and chronicle of the massacre has inspired so many literary and film adaptations. This is a Canadian documentary of her monumental work.

2009, John Rabe, directed by Florian Gallenberger

This German-Chinese co-production focuses on the Schindler-like figure, who uses his Nazi identity to save Chinese refugees.

2009, City of Life and Death, directed by Lu Chuan

A controversial and challenging film ventures to explore the mentality of the Japanese soldiers who go on raping and pillaging sprees.

2011, The Flowers of War, directed by Zhang Yimou

Prostitutes and an American lowlife save a dozen female students from rape and perhaps worse.

China Daily

(China Daily 12/16/2011 page18)