The award-winning ‘State Organs’ documentary will have a week-long theater run starting on Nov. 15.
(L-R) Panel host Roman Balmakov, film director Raymond Zhang, and Wang Zhiyuan, director of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, speak during a panel discussion after a screening of “State Organs” at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
By Eva Fu and Frank Fang
NEW YORK CITY—Audience members who attended a recent screening of a documentary about forced organ harvesting said more people should learn about the sinister state crime happening in China today.
Nabil Hamati, a Brooklyn resident working in the medical field, told The Epoch Times that the film, which played on Nov. 9 at Village East by Angelika cinema, gave him perspective and made him thankful for the life he has in America.
He said that he didn’t know about China’s state-sanctioned practice of forced organ harvesting against prisoners of conscience before seeing the documentary, and that he was particularly touched by the perseverance of the two families featured in the film who were searching for their loved ones.
“Since the time of Jesus, until now, hope is all we have,” Hamati said. “So if you don’t have hope, then you might as well just give it up and put it in the past. So it’s good that people have hope, they keep on going strong, and hopefully one day we can put [the Chinese] Communist Party in the past.”
Audience member Nabil Hamati after watching “State Organs” at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
The documentary “State Organs: Unmasking Transplant Abuse in China” delves into the stories of Yun Zhang and Shawn Huang, who vanished under mysterious circumstances in China in the early 2000s. It depicts the heart-wrenching journey of their families, who searched for them for more than 20 years.
What the families uncover during their search for their missing loved ones is the horror of an organ-harvesting industry legitimized by China’s communist regime.
Hamati encouraged others to spread the word, saying it would inspire “the whole community of humans to work together to end something as big as this problem.”
His sister, Maya Hamati, said the film is “very informative.”
“I think the least we can do is to spread awareness about things of this nature,” she told The Epoch Times. “After World War II, we were told never again, but there’s been countless instances where the ‘never again’ has happened and it continues to happen.”
This is why films like this one should be talked about and understood, she said. “Because the more we do that, I think the less room there is for more corruption.”
Audience member Maya Hamati after watching “State Organs” at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
For decades, China has been one of the most attractive destinations for organ transplant tourists, as Chinese hospitals often offer unusually short waiting times for matching organs. This phenomenon is made possible because the Chinese Communist Party treats its prisoners, primarily those arrest for their beliefs, as a living organ bank.
‘Bring It to Light’
In 2020, a London-based independent people’s tribunal released its full judgment after an 18-month investigation. The tribunal found that beyond a reasonable doubt, the Chinese regime had been forcibly harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience for many years, with the primary victims being Falun Gong practitioners.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual meditation practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Its practitioners have been brutally persecuted in China since 1999.
Audience member Lynne Dilorenzo after watching “State Organs” at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Lynne Dilorenzo, a business owner, was tearful after watching the documentary. She said she was particularly moved by the story of a teacher who was tortured and sexually abused in prison before doctors took her organs.
That woman likely died “for somebody who’s probably rich, who could afford an organ,” Dilorenzo told The Epoch Times.
“Who are these people getting organs? Do they know how they’re getting the organs?”
Dilorenzo said watching the film made her feel “very, very heavy,” and that she intends to make sure her family and friends know about this.
“Everyone needs to realize what’s going on, because it is a genocide, and we all need to bring it to light and put a stop to it,” she said.
Audience member Kevin Dious after watching “State Organs” at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Kevin Dious, chief of staff to Reddit’s CEO, told The Epoch Times that it was “tragic and sad” to learn about the persecution in China. He said it’s troubling that such things can still happen and be hidden in this day and age, given modern technology and media.
“We have to tell these stories and the people need to know,” Dious said. “And this is the power of film, that you can reach people in ways I guess the general media cannot.”
Raymond Zhang, “State Organs” film director, after the movie’s screening at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Following the screening, the film’s director, Peabody Award winner Raymond Zhang, took questions from the audience. He spoke about how several movie theaters in Taiwan received bomb threats for screening the film in October.
Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau, in a statement issued on Oct. 9, said the bomb threats were sent from overseas IP addresses via a VPN proxy. The bureau said it had not found explosive devices in any of the movie theaters and urged people to stay calm.
Zhang told The Epoch Times that he was born in China and still loves the land. His biggest hope is that the people there will be able to “live a safer life,” he said.