Movie Digest
Originally scheduled to be released in 2020 but delayed to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, The Six (六人) is a documentary film throwing light on the lives of six survivors, of the Chinese origins, of the Titanic mishappening. Titanic is the name of the British passenger ship, travelling from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States of America, that sank after hitting an iceberg on April 15th 1912. The Six came out in theatres on April 16th 2021, in Mainland China.
The Feel-Good Part
With this movie, you gain an outlook on the lives of Chinese immigrants in a country whose government and policies were excessively hostile towards the Asian community. It helps you counter the systemic silencing of the marginalised voices through these media platforms, something quite relevant owing to the #StopAsianHate movement.
The Disappointing Factor
With a running time of 107 minutes, the documentary movie takes less time to explain more on its situation.
In-Depth Analysis
The documentary film rejects the dominant narrative historiography and brings a new and neglected perspective of the People of Color (POC). It talks about the white-washing in the cinema industry by overturning the narrative through the six Chinese survivors. It highlights the blatant Anti-Asian racism of that time through its compelling plot, which is relevant to our current times. When the six survivors arrived at New York City seaport after being rescued from a terrible disaster, the authorities denied them entry as well as forced them to deport while also being hurled at with abuses and assaults, owing to the increasing hate caused by the Chinese Exclusion Act. The movie strives to give voice to the survivors whose agency finds no space in a xenophobic country.
Star Power
Directed by Authur Jones and produced by Luo Tong, the movie consists of flawless actors. It includes Matthew Baren, Grant Din, Tom Fong, Cynthia Lee, David Lee, Steven Schwankert, Paul Wade, Emily Yang, Clotilde Yap, Judy Yung, and Grace Zhang.
Overall Opinion
The Six won three renowned nominations for Best Documentary at Hainan Island International Film Festival (China) and Bangkok International Documentary Awards (Thailand). In addition, it also secured a Special Jury Award at Beijing International Film Festival (China). In March this year itself, The Six won the Golden Laurels Award at Beloit International Film Festival. The awards and nominations alone emphasise the potential of the movie, making it perfect for deeper understanding of the contemporary times.
