In 1994, Karamay’s Friendship Hall – a symbol of political power and miniature replica of Beijing’s Great Hall of the People – was the site of a horrible tragedy: nearly eight hundred grade and middle school students and their teachers, hand-picked to entertain a delegation of education officials, were in the midst of a performance when a fire broke out in the hall. The students were instructed to remain in their seats so that the visiting cadres could exit first. By the time the fire had been contained, 323 people had perished, 288 of them children between the ages of six and 14. All of the visiting cadres survived. Of the eight emergency exits in the hall, seven were found to have been obstructed or padlocked. This film explores the aftermath of the tragedy and the emotional impact on the affected families.
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy expresses its respect for and acknowledgement of the South East Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of country, including the custodial communities on whose land works are created and celebrated by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We also pay our respects to Elders, past and emerging. We recognise the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples continue to play in storytelling and celebration spaces.
