As the world marks 89 years since the 1937 Nanking Massacre, a new two-part documentary titled Finding Iris Chang sheds light on the Chinese-American writer's relentless quest to expose historical truths. Released in January 2026, the film chronicles how Chang's family experiences during World War II drove her to document survivor accounts and unearth critical evidence, including German businessman John Rabe's diaries.
The documentary highlights Chang's 1997 publication The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, which brought global attention to wartime atrocities often overlooked in historical narratives. Through archival footage and contemporary interviews, the film reveals the personal toll of Chang's advocacy, including sustained pressure from Japanese right-wing groups prior to her tragic death in 2004.
Historians interviewed in the documentary emphasize how Chang's work continues to shape cross-cultural understanding of Asian wartime history, particularly for younger generations and diaspora communities. The project coincides with renewed academic interest in 20th-century conflict studies across Asian universities this year.
