“Evil Unbound,” a new historical drama exposing the horrors of Japan’s notorious Unit 731, held its world premiere on Wednesday in Harbin, the capital of northeast the Chinese mainland’s Heilongjiang Province.
The film follows Wang Yongzhang, a local vendor, and others who were lured by false promises of freedom in exchange for “health checks” and disease prevention research. Instead, they became subjects of brutal medical experiments—frostbite tests, gas exposure and vivisection—behind the walls of Unit 731’s secret “special prison.”
Established in Harbin’s Pingfang District, Unit 731 served as the nerve center for Japan’s biological and chemical warfare research in the region during World War II. Its experiments left deep scars on survivors and their families, and have long haunted collective memory.
The premiere, held on the eve of the film’s official release, coincided with the anniversary of the September 18 Incident in 1931—the flashpoint that launched 14 years of aggression against the Chinese mainland. It also falls within the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
By bringing these untold stories to the screen, “Evil Unbound” aims to spark conversation across generations and borders, reminding audiences worldwide of the power of memory in shaping a more humane future.
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Film exposing Japan's WWII atrocities premieres in China's Harbin
cgtn.com
