The Six explores untold story of Chinese men who survived Titanic sinking, via KDocsFF, November 17 to 19
Panel on November 19 features the director and lead researcher who uncover a history lost to racism
The Six tracks down the truth around a group of Chinese survivors of the Titanic sinking.
KDocsFF streams The Six online free from November 17 to 19, with an online panel discussion on November 19 at 7 pm
OUT OF THE 700 people that survived the sinking of the Titanic on a frigid 1912 night, six were Chinese men.
Shanghai-based researcher Steven Schwankert became obsessed with uncovering their forgotten stories, his international quest tracked in Arthur Jones’s rigorous documentary The Six, screening for free online via KDocsFF.
Through meticulous detective work, his team slowly discovers the way that the men survived—one of their feats directly inspiring a scene in the blockbuster Titanic by James Cameron (who also appears and executive produces here). Old ship manifests, news clippings, and surviving family members flesh out the facts and lead to a damning look at the treatment of Chinese labourers a century ago.
Why have the stories been hidden for over a century—even from the men’s own children and grandchildren? Racism and anti-immigration laws were so bad in the early 20th century that the survivors had to hide their experiences to avoid public humiliation. The film ends up being a timely reminder that history exists far beyond textbooks and pop culture—even when it comes to a subject as widely covered as the sinking of the Titanic.
You have the chance to hear more about the enormous project behind The Six in a special panel on November 19, with both the director and Schwankert on hand. Also joining in: keynote speaker Lily Cho, a York University associate professor who appears in the film, and MOSAIC’s Sherman Chan. KPU’s Michael Ma moderates.
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