#AvenuesOfEscape

How far would you go for freedom?

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Labour Camp

This interactive experience is based on the true story of Tian Jing, whose harrowing escape from a labour camp in China is recounted in of Avenues of Escape.

Every year thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are sent to “Re-Education by Labour” camps where they are tortured and mistreated. Despite recent efforts, this system still exists in China and needs to be abolished.

To give you a better understanding, we invite you to take a walk in Tian’s shoes and get a first-hand experience of Life in a Labour Camp.

TAKE ME THERE

About The Film

Betrayed by an entire nation. Persecuted for their beliefs. An impossible escape was their only option. From the Peabody Award-winning director of Human Harvest comes Avenues of Escape, a gripping documentary about escaping persecution in China.

During the decades long crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners in China which claimed thousands of victims, the lives of three women intertwine as they embark on a dangerous journey to find freedom. Armed with only a road map and a desire for justice, they must rely on their wits, courage and the compassion of strangers, to escape imprisonment and navigate a treacherous passageway out of communist China. Staying behind means certain death, but the road ahead holds no guarantees.

A FLYING CLOUD PRODUCTION A LEON LEE FILM
CRYSTAL CHEN, TIAN JING & CAI JING IN AVENUES OF ESCAPE
MUSIC BY MICHAEL RICHARD PLOWMAN CO-PRODUCER MELISSA JAMES EDITOR PATRICK CARROLL
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY CHUNYUN ZHANG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JASON LOFTUS
PRODUCED, WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY LEON LEE

Canadian Government Film Incentive BC Canada Media Fund

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Avenues of Escape
4 years ago
Avenues of Escape

Just released on Youtube. Watch Now. youtu.be/Hy9s7kThP2s ... See MoreSee Less

PlayClick the link to WATCH NOW
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Avenues of Escape
4 years ago
Avenues of Escape

If you found Avenues of Escape eye-opening and important, you won't want to miss Reunion Film, the latest work by the same filmmaker. It exposes the truth about the cadavers' origins in popular international body exhibits. This short film will be released soon on Films for Freedom, a place to watch and share short films about human rights. Follow them today! ... See MoreSee Less

PlayREUNION: Mar 6 on Films for Freedom
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Avenues of Escape
4 years ago
Avenues of Escape

Films for Freedom's cover photo ... See MoreSee Less

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Avenues of Escape
5 years ago
Avenues of Escape

Our latest film, Letter from Masanjia, reveals how an SOS note from China made its way to Oregon and changed history. The filmmakers risked everything to capture secret footage and show the world how China treats activists. Don’t forget to follow the page for news and ways to take action. ... See MoreSee Less

PlayLetter from Masanjia (2018) Documentary | Official Trailer
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Avenues of Escape updated their cover photo.
5 years ago
Avenues of Escape

... See MoreSee Less

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Avenues of Escape
5 years ago
Avenues of Escape

Now available to stream! Follow the shocking true story of sisters Jing & Tian as they try to escape a tyrannical China that would rather see them dead than free to practice their beliefs.

Click here to watch the award-winning Avenues of Escape on iTunes or Amazon from the comfort of your own home: bit.ly/2sEQJ8n ... See MoreSee Less

Now available to stream! Follow the shocking true story of sisters Jing & Tian as they try to escape a tyrannical China that would rather see them dead than free to practice their beliefs. Click here to watch the award-winning Avenues of Escape on iTunes or Amazon from the comfort of your own home: http://bit.ly/2sEQJ8n
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Avenues of Escape
5 years ago
Avenues of Escape

We are very pleased to announce that Avenues of Escape has been nominated for 2018 BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC, NON-FICTION at the Canadian Screen Awards. Our most heartfelt congratulations to composer Michael Richard Plowman on an incredible job! ... See MoreSee Less

We are very pleased to announce that Avenues of Escape has been nominated for 2018 BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC, NON-FICTION at the Canadian Screen Awards. Our most heartfelt congratulations to composer Michael Richard Plowman on an incredible job!
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Cast & Crew

Leon Lee

Leon Lee is an award winning film director and producer who explores topics related to modern-day China, sharing thought-provoking stories that could not be told within Chinese borders.

His Peabody Award-winning documentary Human Harvest, about illegal organ harvesting in China, has been viewed by an audience of over 10 million and was broadcast in over 25 countries worldwide. His recent feature The Bleeding Edge, starring outspoken Miss World Canada, Anastasia Lin, was the recipient of a 2016 Gabriel Award and 2016 Leo Award.

CRYSTAL CHEN

Crystal Chen was born and raised in the busy metropolis of Guangzhou, in southern China, where she worked for an international trade company and was also an actress in two well-known Chinese television shows.

Her escape from China was monumental, and the path she forged eventually saved the lives of close to 1000 Falun Gong practitioners. After resettling in the US, Crystal started working for Human Rights in China, a NGO composed of Chinese scholars and activists. She currently works for Chinese media in New York City and is a human rights activist and vocal member of the Falun Gong community.

TIAN JING

Tian Jing was born and raised in Shenyang, a big city in northern China. She worked in a communications company and a publishing house in her hometown, prior to her incarceration.

She was the first Falun Gong practitioner to bravely raise a protest banner in Tiananmen Square. Her arrest was made into an example, and subsequently her family were among the first practitioners to receive sentences of over 10 years. Her story exemplifies the persecution and is a testament to the harsh realities faced by most practitioners. Tian now lives in Vancouver, Canada, and can often be seen in Chinatown practicing the traditional Falun Gong exercises, and continuing her work as a human rights advocate.

CAI JING

Cai Jing is Tian's younger sister. Prior to her escape from China, she worked in a bookstore in Shenyang, and is an avid reader with a special interest in Chinese history.

She currently lives in Vancouver with her sister, and has been actively involved in the human rights movement in both Canada and Thailand. Cai often goes to local tourist spots in Vancouver to keep clarifying the truth about Falun Gong to visitors from China.