Vancouver Premiere of ‘Unbroken’ Documentary Highlights Shen Yun Artists’ Resilience

VANCOUVER—Inside a vibrant theater at the VIFF Centre in Vancouver, an audience of local residents, arts patrons, civic leaders, and prominent business executives gathered on the evening of Aug. 24 for the premiere of “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun.”

Directed by Fiona Young, the documentary examines the behind-the-scenes realities of Shen Yun Performing Arts, the New York-based classical Chinese dance company celebrated worldwide for reviving 5,000 years of pre-communist culture.

Beyond the stage, the film lifts the curtain on the human weight borne by its artists. Through personal narratives and in-depth research, “Unbroken” documents their spiritual conviction, rigorous training, and the systematic campaign of interference and intimidation waged against them by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Following the screening, a live panel discussion and Q&A session with the featured artists drew sustained applause from the audience. For many attendees, the event bridged the gap between the company’s vibrant stage performances and the challenges its dancers encounter.

Their Real Lives

For many attendees, the event bridged the gap between Shen Yun’s vibrant stage performances and the personal struggles of its dancers.

Michelle Ng, a financial columnist and former writer for Apple Daily—a pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper that was forced to close under CCP pressure—expressed an immediate personal connection to the film.

“I thought of myself while watching the documentary,” Ng said. “I love writing, but Apple Daily was just gone. I am a victim myself.”

Ng noted that the film transformed her perception of the performers. “In the past, I only saw the beautiful posters for Shen Yun,” she said. “I didn’t realize these young dancers had such depth, such clear voices, and such conviction. I had no idea there were so many stories behind these artists. When you learn that 94 performers have family members who were persecuted in China, you realize this isn’t just an act; it’s their real life.”

She expressed deep admiration for their resilience in the face of the CCP’s transnational repression and interference, noting that their peaceful resistance offers immense inspiration.

“They have set an example for us Hong Kongers on how to carry on our resistance against totalitarianism,” Ng said.

Messages From the Artists

For the artists featured in “Unbroken,” the documentary provides an authentic look at their lived experience, directly addressing public misconceptions and smear campaigns by the Chinese regime.

Former Shen Yun dancer Alison Chen emphasized that behind the grand spectacles are genuine human stories. When false narratives are launched against the company, she said, it causes real pain to the performers.

However, Chen said the artists persevere thanks to their shared purpose: using art through Shen Yun to awaken compassion and resilience, using traditional stories to inspire people in their daily lives.

Principal dancer Andrew Fung strongly encouraged audience members to see the film for themselves to understand the opposition the artists face behind the scenes. Having toured with Shen Yun for 18 years, Fung shared that frequent bomb threats have almost become routine for him, but they cause great anxiety for his family back home.

He stressed that these intimidation tactics target democratic values worldwide, expressing hope that viewers will watch “Unbroken” and discern the truth of the smear campaign for themselves.

Susan Fang, spokesperson for the Vancouver Falun Dafa Association and local host of Shen Yun, added that “Unbroken” brings the dancers’ devotion to life on screen. She shared that local organizers and volunteers remain dedicated because of their love for traditional Chinese culture and their hope for the Chinese people to enjoy freedom—a mission rooted in deep pride for their heritage.

Standing Together

Beyond capturing the daily discipline of the dancers, “Unbroken” details the human cost of Beijing’s ongoing persecution of Falun Gong—a spiritual discipline based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance—and reveals how CCP repression has extended to Western soil through smear campaigns, fake bomb threats, and diplomatic pressure.

In attendance at the premiere, Director General Lihsin Liu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver commended the artists’ warmth and bravery in standing up against the CCP’s intimidation tactics.

Liu noted that exposing state-sponsored smear campaigns through a personal documentary was a heartfelt and uplifting approach. She praised the students and parents of Fei Tian for sharing their lived experiences to dispel false narratives, calling their courage deeply inspiring.

“In the documentary, we see how the CCP’s United Front Departments use various methods to infiltrate democratic societies—something that happens in Taiwan and Canada as well,” Liu said, calling on free nations to remain united. She emphasized that while commercial interests are often prioritized in the short term, democracy and freedom remain the essential foundation for sustaining a prosperous society over time.

Business leaders and former public officials in attendance echoed these concerns, emphasizing that democratic governments must safeguard artistic expression and national sovereignty.

Kenneth Jones, chief executive officer of a national distribution company and a former British Columbia provincial lawmaker with 35 years of public service across municipal, provincial, and federal levels, praised “Unbroken” as an exceptional film.

“It was a very, very good film,” Jones said. “It covered a lot, had a good story, and it certainly presented the issues of concern … It had good portrayals of the various artwork and dancing that is part of the Shen Yun tradition.”

Addressing the threats and pressure directed at the performing arts company on Western soil, Jones stressed that fundamental rights must be protected.

“There’s really no reason—no acceptable reason—for anybody to be fearful in doing their job,” he said. “It’s our government’s responsibility to protect people against any force that would be trying to intimidate … When they’re in this country, people should be able to feel free and protected and should not have any possibility of being threatened, either with violence or with any other type of intimidation.”

Jones observed that Beijing’s efforts to suppress Shen Yun have inadvertently elevated the company’s global reach.

“It’s the biggest mistake that the CCP ever made, to target something, because they just built it into something that they’re trying not to have,” he said. “Shen Yun has done a great job of creating a very great artistic show program that gives the performers the ability to show off and develop their own capabilities, and it also provides huge entertainment for the general public.”

Darrell Jones, former president and CEO of major Canadian supermarket chain Save-On-Foods, expressed deep admiration for the spirit conveyed by the artists.

“And what a fantastic movie that was,” Darrell Jones said. “You can really see the love that the dancers have for the people, not just in China, but everywhere. It was a wonderful movie. Wonderful people!”

Reflecting on the film’s portrayal of traditional culture prior to communist rule, Jones noted how enlightening it was to understand the historical context and the artists’ enduring optimism.

“You can certainly see that they’ve done a great job of talking about the Chinese community prior to the communists taking control in the 1950s,” Darrell Jones said. “And you can see their love for each other and their love for the world around us. It was very enlightening for me because I never really understood what that was about and the challenges that they face.”

Recalling a moment where he spoke directly with the cast during the event, Darrell Jones shared: “The thing that I said to the dancers when I was up front there, there’s one thing you got to remember: the communists have never been successful long term. They always fail. It’s not if, it’s when … But the thing we want to make sure we do is to protect the people as much as we can until they’re gone.”

Darrell Jones urged Canadian governments to take firm action against foreign influence campaigns. “I think that the Canadian government and the provincial governments need to understand that and take a much stronger position when it comes to the challenges that we face with China,” he said. “We need to make sure that we’re focused enough on making sure that the Chinese communists aren’t impacting Canada and the people in Canada—our Chinese citizens.”

Lewis Dahlby, an entrepreneur and former political candidate, voiced strong concern over the CCP-sponsored infiltration and disinformation tactics highlighted in the film.

“They’re spending a lot of money to influence different businesses and influence politicians, and it’s kind of scary,” Dahlby said. “China could be the biggest threat to the civility of the world.”

Dahlby noted that the documentary’s investigation into negative media narratives targeting Shen Yun revealed a pattern of ideological suppression. “They don’t like religion, and they don’t like spirituality,” Dahlby noted. “Presenting 5,000 years of civilization before 1949 feels like a threat to them … [They] are suppressing culture as a means of control.”

Hope and Revival

For many attendees, the ultimate takeaway of the documentary was not one of fear, but of light, integrity, and renewal over darkness.

Tamara, an attendee at the premiere who gave only her first name, shared how refreshing it was to hear directly from the dancers themselves. “Hearing about the families being persecuted is heartbreaking,” she said. “But to me, ‘unbroken’ means that no matter how hard things are, you don’t give up hope. You keep pressing forward with light, truth, and compassion.”

Raymonde Tickner, whose family members study and volunteer at the Fei Tian Academy of the Arts in New York, where Shen Yun dancers train, found the behind-the-scenes glimpse deeply moving.

“My son, his wife, and our grandchildren have been involved with Shen Yun for quite a number of years now,” Tickner told The Epoch Times. “Seeing the kind of work that the kids do, the courage and strength to keep going every day, and the pressure that they’re under—it just became very real to me instead of some sort of abstract thing you hear about third-hand.”

Closing the evening on an expectant note, organizers officially announced that Shen Yun Performing Arts will return to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre to perform an all-new production in March 2027—a performance many audience members said they are now eagerly awaiting.

Chen Chen contributed to this report.