Imagine being jailed, persecuted, and tortured for more than a decade. Imagine having your tortured sister’s lifeless body being withheld from you for almost 20 years, by the very people who tortured you. Imagine your school-age nephew being kidnapped to force you to sign over your sister’s body to authorities. Now imagine having the grace to continue to smile, love life, and to practice the very spirituality for which you were persecuted. When you watch the beautifully shot and immaculately scored film “Finding Courage,” you won’t have to imagine.
The mostly somber Yellow River, the “cradle of Chinese civilization,” is known to change into a raging torrent so quickly that it is also known as “China’s sorrow.” Likewise, Falun Gong, a spirituality once embraced by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was suddenly targeted, faster than the Yellow River changes its moods.
“Ruin their reputations. Bankrupt them financially. Destroy them physically.” —Taken from a 1999 edict by CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin
“My parents brought Falun Gong into our home in 1994. We all became practitioners. Then one day in 1999, the CCP began the persecution. It all changed so quickly,” says Leo Wang, whose wife, Sophia, adds: “We were a happy, hardworking family, both of us mechanical engineers. We were respected and practiced our faith openly. Kefei, Leo’s sister, was arrested in August 2001. And then Leo …” her voice trails off.
