Title from title frames

Producers/directors Brian Woods and Kate Blewett uncover the systematic neglect of abandoned babies in Chinese state-run orphanages. They find "dark rooms" where the weakest and least liked children are left to die. These are known as "The Dying Rooms." China's one-child policy has created a race where most families desire boys and therefore parents are forced to abandon their babies. Their unfortunate and tragic lives are left at the mercy of these orphanages where their sad fate is ultimately decided by the staff and ignored by the government. It is a film that nobody can ever forget or not be deeply touched by. The films have been seen in over 37 countries worldwide, with an estimated audience of over 100 million people. Such has been the outcry to these human rights abuses that the issue has been one of the most talked about subjects for years. After completing the original film, The Dying Rooms, Kate and Brian were contacted by Human Rights Watch who were in the process of helping a Chinese doctor, Dr Zhang, to escape China. She brought with her copious official documents detailing the policy of "summary resolution" used to keep orphanage numbers in check, plus photographs of babies that had been starved to death in the Shanghai No. 2 Orphanage. This new evidence was incorporated into a second film, Return to the Dying Rooms. Awards American Emmy - in 1995 Peabody Award - in 1995 Royal Television Society Award for International Current Affairs - in 1995 Medianet Gold Award - in 1995 Winner of the Prix Italia - in 1995The Indie Award - in 1995 The Canadian International TV Festival Award - in 1995 Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Best Documentary - in 1995 Monte Carlo UNESCO Special Jury Award - in 1995 Monte Carlo Silver Nymph for Documentary - in 1995 Communicators of the Year Award - in 1995 Cable ACE Award - in 1995 Nominee for 2 British Academy Awards including the Flaherty Award for Documentary - in 1995

In Process Record

Originally produced by True Vision Productions in 1995

Mode of access: World Wide Web

In English