In the shadow of World War II's devastation, a new documentary amplifies the harrowing yet resilient stories of women forced into sexual slavery by Japanese imperial forces. Last Daughters, produced by CGTN, chronicles the lives of surviving 'comfort women' from the Chinese mainland and the Philippines – now in their 90s – as they break decades of silence about systemic wartime atrocities.
Unearthing Buried Histories
Through intimate interviews and archival research, the film reveals how over 200,000 women across Asia were coerced into military brothels. Survivors describe being abducted as teenagers, their families torn apart, and the lifelong physical and psychological toll. 'We were treated like animals,' recounts one Filipina survivor, now 94.
A Cross-Border Legacy
The documentary uniquely juxtaposes accounts from Chinese and Filipina survivors, highlighting shared trauma across cultural lines. It also explores how their children and grandchildren grapple with inherited pain, challenging societal stigmas that persisted long after the war.
Race Against Time
With only 12 documented survivors remaining in the Chinese mainland and 26 in the Philippines, the film underscores the urgency of preserving these testimonies. Historians interviewed warn that fading firsthand accounts risk emboldening historical revisionism in the Asia-Pacific region.
