Eshin Direct

Red Cherry - Hong ying tao

The story revolves around two Chinese orphans that were sent to Soviet Russia to attend special communist schools. With the outbreak of war with Germany and the subsequent fall of Moscow, the children fall on hard times. While it follows both children, the main focus of the film is on the girl ChuChu who is captured and forced to serve in a Nazi general’s household/HQ. There he indulges in his pre-war artistic hobby on ChuChu, leaving her a “gift” that she will remember for the rest of her life - a horrifyingly beautiful Nazi emblem tattoed on her back.

This one is not an easy film to watch and it left me feeling sick and angry for at least a day afterwards. To be honest, I have only seen the second half of the film so maybe I am not in position to comment on it. But the part that I did see was enough for me to conclude that it was a film full of a wide variety of emotions - anger, sadness, and bittersweet happiness.

As you know, I’ve watched my share of war films and at an early age I was exposed to images of the Holocaust. Yet, this film brings a new dimension of horror to me as the creation of something that is meant to be beautiful (i.e. art) is used more to brand a permenant horrific image into a young girl for the world to “appreciate”. While the tattoes of the death camps were bad enough, living life with a full colour Nazi symbol on your back for the rest of your life is torment I could only imagine at.

The film does have a some brief moments of happiness and optimism. This is represented by Luo, ChuChu’s older brother. In contrast to the depraved antics of a the Nazi general, he represents a glimmer of hope for humanity - symbolizing heroism, compassion and simplicity.

Apparently based on a true story, the real ChuChu has since passed away in Beijing. I hope she finds peace in the next life. Watch this movie.