The Movie Beijing Doesn’t Want You to See | Yan Ma

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This is the 30 minute TV version of Jan Jekielek’s interview with Yan Ma. The longer-form version was released on Epoch TV on August 14.

🔴 Watch the extended version of this episode: http://ept.ms/4mBD8F9

Canadian-Chinese filmmaker Yan Ma knew from the outset that he was putting himself at risk for making a political thriller about a lab leak in China. “The Unrestricted War” is a movie that was inspired by the cover-up and outbreak of COVID-19 and spotlights how the Chinese Communist Party coerces its citizens, and even foreigners living within China, to achieve its ends.

Officials pressured Ma’s family members back in China in attempts to coerce him to stop the project. His Chinese team members faced similar pressure. Ethnically Chinese actors refused to participate in the film for fear of the Chinese regime targeting them, ruining their careers, or threatening their families. The actor cast as the lead of the project abruptly backed out just three days before filming, leaving Yan and his casting director scrambling to audition a new lead.
In this episode, Yan Ma dives into some of the extraordinary challenges he and his team faced to make this movie a reality, and why he feels it was all worth it.

The film “The Unrestricted Warfare” is available for rental and streaming on GJW+, a censorship-free streaming platform.

Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

CHAPTER TITLES
0:00:01 Introduction and Background of the Film
0:01:31 Facing Pressure and Threats from the Chinese Government
0:03:40 Inspiration and Genesis of "The Unrestricted War"
0:05:10 Production Challenges and Actor Replacements
0:06:56 CCP Influence and Overseas Police Stations
0:09:41 Personal and Family Repercussions
0:12:52 Unrestricted War: Broader Implications and Espionage
0:14:54 Audience and Festival Reactions
0:16:25 Parallels with Historical Censorship and Hollywood
0:19:28 Personal Motivation and Responsibility
0:20:41 Where to Watch the Film and Closing Remarks
0:21:38 Film Trailer and Credits