The poster for the war film Dongji Rescue. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

The highly anticipated war film Dongji Rescue recently announced its nationwide release date on Aug 8.

Set in 1942, the movie draws on the true story of the Lisbon Maru rescue incident during World War II.

The Japanese military commandeered the Lisbon Maru to carry British prisoners of war and the ship was mistakenly torpedoed by a United States submarine near the waters of Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province, with over 1,800 British POWs left struggling at sea.

Braving heavy Japanese fire, unarmed Chinese fishermen from Dongji Island of Zhoushan risked their lives to rescue more than 300 survivors and smuggled three of them to safety.

The film marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945). 

It offers a Chinese perspective on a little-known but powerful international rescue, shining a light on humanity and courage across national boundaries.

After six years of preparation and 200 days of filming, Dongji Rescue is set to bring a forgotten piece of wartime history to the big screen in a gripping cinematic tribute to bravery and compassion.