An ocean road movie against the odds... In 1955 Formosa (Taiwan), six young men set out on a journey to find their own version of freedom. With no boat and no prior sailing experience, they apply to enter a trans-Atlantic yacht race in an attempt to venture out of Taiwan. As luck would have it, the five Chinese-born crew find a young American Vice-Consul who agrees to issue US visas -- and who later asks to join and film the voyage. With nothing more than an old Chinese junk called 'Free China', a 16mm camera, color film stock, and their youthful courage, the crew sets sail from Taiwan to California. After various fits and starts, and a host of near-deadly obstacles (including typhoon Anna and captain overboard), the men arrive in San Francisco to a hero's welcome. Their story is 'THE FREE CHINA JUNK', a feature-length film that documents the experiences of five young men who risk their lives to journey beyond the tense environment of 1955 Formosa and the diplomat who records and befriends them. According to featured maritime historian Dr. Hans Van Tilburg the Free China junk is the oldest surviving Chinese wooden sailing junk. Now successful men in their 80s (including a retired university professor of physics in California, and a T'ai Chi master in New Zealand), 'The Free China Junk' celebrates their adventurous spirit as it challenges new generations to define their own destiny. FILM FESTIVALS: New Zealand International Film Festival 2010, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival 2010
