‘State Organs’: New Film Exposing CCP Organ Harvesting Premiers in Australia

The poster of the new documentary film "State Organs," which depicts the Chinese Communist Party's crimes of force organ harvesting and persecution of adherents of Falun Gong. Courtesy of Rooyee Films

An unsuspecting kind-hearted young couple suddenly went missing in China. During the 20-year search process, their families discovered a shocking crime that was perpetrated by the state.

State Organs, which won two awards at the 2023 Leo Awards for Best Direction Feature Length Documentary and Best Musical Score Feature Length Documentary, premiered at Lido Cinemas in Melbourne on Oct. 26, attracting around 200 people.

The movie tells the story of a young couple went missing in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s genocidal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

While searching for answers, their families discovered a secret state crime involving the CCP’s military, public prosecutors, law enforcement, and health system—large-scale human organ harvesting and transplantation for huge profits.

As the crime came to light, a public awareness campaign was born.

Present Objectively, Inspiring Reflection: Director

Chun Yu (Raymond) Zhang, director of “State Organs,” spent six years on the documentary.

To truthfully restore the history, Mr. Zhang overcame many difficulties to find witnesses of forced organ harvesting who were brave enough to be interviewed, including family members of victims, witnesses, doctors involved in live organ harvesting.

In the end, he managed to obtain detailed first-hand information, including recording of the victim’s own voice before she disappeared.

Mr. Zhang said that he hopes to record the most important period of China’s history in the past 20 years, present it truly, and inspire people to reflect.

“I hope that through the lens, the audience can participate and experience this history immersively. Therefore, this film is presented objectively without any narration or commentary,” he told media in a recent interview.

‘Extremely Penetrating’: Editor-in-Chief

John Xiao, editor-in-chief of The Epoch Times Australia, held a Q and A session with the audience after the screening.

“This movie is extremely penetrating, going straight into my soul,” he said. “I can’t imagine such a tragic thing happening in modern society, in the world we live in. This is simply unimaginable evil.”

“How evil is communism! In China, over 100 million Falun Gong practitioners were suddenly persecuted and became the CCP’s organ bank. Many practitioners died because of their persistence in their beliefs.”

An audience member asked questions after watching "State Organs" in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 26. Tien Nguyen / The Epoch Times

“However, these are just the tip of the iceberg of the CCP’s evil deeds. Due to its existence, how many innocent people have been so brutally persecuted?!” he said.

“No matter how glamorous the communist party’s rule is on the surface, the evil behind it is truly heinous. When the day comes when the CCP disintegrates and people see the truth, the world will be shocked.”

He concluded by saying that as a media, The Epoch Times will expose such evil persecution under any circumstances.

“This is the mission and responsibility of our media,” he said.

Organ Harvesting Has to End: Secretary of Social Organization

“Organ harvesting won’t end until CCP rule ends,” said David Bennett, secretary of Social Action Australia, adding that the film is “very powerful.”

“[That] people can be persecuted for their beliefs and for commercial gain at the same time is quite a sinister combination,” he said. “There has to be an end to it.”

Mr. Bennett compared the CCP’s organ harvesting to Stalin’s mass killing.

“Stalin said, ‘if you kill someone, they’re no longer there, and you’ve got rid of the problem,’ as he saw it,” he said. “The CCP thinks they can kill Falun Gong practitioners and just keep on doing that routinely. They suppressed them because there are more Falun Gong supporters than CCP members ... It’s a form of social engineering of control.”

David Bennett, Secretary of Social Action Australia, condemned organ harvesting after watching "State Organs" in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 26. Henry Jom/The Epoch Times

Mr. Bennett believes that the international community’s attention to forced organ harvesting is not enough.

“There should be international boycotts, trade sanctions, and so on. Not enough has been done,” he said, adding that it’s a disgrace that some people in Australia let communist China replace the Republic of China (Taiwan) due to economic interest.

“Falun Gong [practitioners are] doing everything they can to get the message out, but none of people are listening, unfortunately.”

Horrifying Genocide of Its Own People: Nurse

“I had no idea that they did it on live people,” Jasmine Burke, a nurse said. “And all the volume, all the numbers ... It’s horrifying.”

Ms. Burke heard about the issue of organ harvesting a long time ago, yet she still finds it hard to bear the psychological impact brought by the film.

Jasmine Burke condemned organ harvesting after watching "State Organs" in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 26. Tien Nguyen/The Epoch Times

“The government murdering people, innocent people. It’s genocide of its own people,” she said. “Just telling the communist party to go away.”

Ms. Burke also expressed her admiration and gratitude to the film’s production team.

“What you guys are doing is really amazing, and brave. Thank you so much,” she said.

Countries Taking Action

The CCP’s forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience was first revealed in 2006, yet the crime continues to this day.

In 2019, China Tribunal, an independent tribunal based in London, ruled that the CCP carried out large-scale organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience, mainly Falun Gong practitioners, and was guilty of crimes against humanity and torture.

“Forced organ harvesting has been committed for years throughout China on a significant scale and that Falun Gong practitioners have been one—and probably the main—source of organ supply,” reads the tribunal’s summary judgement (pdf).

State Organs premiered at Lido Cinemas in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 26. Tien Nguyen/The Epoch Times

In March 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2023 by a vote of 413 to 2, marking the United States’ first substantive legislation to curb the atrocity.

The Council of Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Spain, Taiwan, Italy, and Israel have also enacted legislations or taken actions to help stop the CCP’s crime of forced organ harvesting.

Henry Jom, Tien Nguyen, and Beatrice Lee contributed to this report.