IRIS F. KUNG: From Tian An Men to PBS

Since the bloody suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing’s Tian An Men Square in June, 1989, only eight student leaders have succeeded in escaping from China.

Zhang Boli, who was on China’s “most-wanted list” for his involvement in the student movement, was one of those who evaded Chinese authorities and escaped to the West.

Zhang’s harrowing story caught the attention of a former Chinese television reporter--now residing in the United States--who returned to China under great personal risk to chronicle his escape route. Iris F. Kung (a pseudonym used by the reporter) secretly retraced Zhang’s amazing journey and smuggled the original footage out of the country. Tuesday night’s broadcast premiere of “Escape From China” on PBS’ “P.O.V.” series marks the fifth anniversary of the Tian An Men Square massacre in which hundreds--a definite body count was never confirmed--of protesters died.

Writer Christine Courtney caught up with Kung in Hong Kong.

What led you to make this film?

I met Zhang Boli in February, 1992, at a Chinese New Year party in (the East Coast), where he now lives. Zhang told me he was one of 21 students on China’s “most-wanted list,” and that he avoided arrest by hiding in a remote village on the China-Russia border for two years. He later learned that his wife had left him (to remarry) and that his daughter had been left in the care of a relative. I immediately connected with his emotional and physical struggle and wanted to document his story to tell people (what is happening in China) through example.

What does this film mean to you?

The meaning of this film is not only about Zhang’s escape from China but also about the changes that are going on in my homeland. The fact that Zhang was able to escape and that I was able to document his journey shows that more independent films like this can be done.

What difficulties did you encounter in shooting this film in China?

I had to hire a new cameraman soon after we began filming, but I wasn’t able to tell him the true nature of the project. We traveled by train and bus for 50 hours to get to a village in Northeast China, where Zhang hid for two years. I began to feel more comfortable with him and eventually told him the truth. He said he would continue working with me because it was the first time in his film career that he was allowed to be creative.

How did you avoid appearing suspicious while documenting Zhang’s story?

We were stopped several times by provincial government officials, but we explained that we were doing a film on the environment. We also got help from a young man and his parents who protected Zhang during his two years of hiding in the countryside. The young man told everyone we were his relatives from the city. He called me ‘aunt’ and he called the cameraman ‘uncle.’

What precautions did you take to protect your sources?

We had no problem interviewing Zhang’s family, but we did take precautions when interviewing Zhang’s ex-wife. To avoid suspicion, I interviewed her in a park while my cameraman filmed from behind some bushes nearby. We also made arrangements for the farming family who protected Zhang to move after we had completed the filming. We told them never to return to that place. We hid their identity in the film.

Were you or your sources ever in danger?

During post-production of the film, a woman who was working with me panicked when I showed her a rough cut of the film. She was going to either turn me into the police or destroy all of my tapes. But some friends talked her out of it. You can’t imagine how nervous I was and how guilty I felt about getting anyone in trouble.

How did you get the film out of the country without compromising your sources?

I eventually used my connections (with some Chinese officials) to get the tapes safely onto a plane.

What differences do you see in China now compared to the past?

I think there is a big change in people’s perspective. In society, all the Chinese government’s regulations and restrictions exist. But in the minds of the people, all these regulations and restrictions have virtually disappeared. Of course, this change has come along because of China’s economic reform. But I still think China has a long way to go.

How do you feel about your film airing nationwide across the U.S.?

Out of 600 films, I was one of 10 films chosen. As a Chinese filmmaker, this is really encouraging. We had a very hard time getting into American television. I think one of the reasons for this is that the situation in China has changed and people have forgotten about the 1989 democracy movement in Tian An Men Square. But they should take the point of view that this film is a human story about the emotional, cultural and political struggle of the Chinese people.

“Escape From China” airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. on KCET and 10:30 p.m. on KPBS.