Released in China on July 25, the film has grossed more than 320 million U.S. dollars and won praise for its powerful depiction of human courage.

BELGRADE, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- A solemn atmosphere of respect, sorrow, and reflection filled Belgrade's landmark building MTS Dvorana Thursday evening, as hundreds of Serbian and Chinese filmgoers, officials, and history enthusiasts gathered for the premiere of Chinese wartime film "Dead to Rights" (Nanjing Photo Studio).

The screening, accompanied by a photo exhibition of rare wartime images, commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The 137-minute drama tells the story of civilians who risk their lives to document atrocities committed during the Japanese occupation of Nanjing in 1937. Set largely in a photo studio, the film examines survival, loyalty, and the duty to preserve truth.

On Dec. 13, 1937, Japanese troops captured the then Chinese capital Nanjing, starting six weeks of devastation that killed an estimated 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers.

Released in China on July 25, the film has grossed more than 320 million U.S. dollars and won praise for its powerful depiction of human courage. Serbian audiences responded with long applause and visible emotion.

Aleksandar Mirkovic, a member of the Serbian National Assembly, said the experience was "very difficult to convey -- a mixture of deep respect and sorrow." He added that Serbia must continue to nurture a culture of remembrance, "because only by educating new generations in this way can we prevent anything so terrible from happening again."

Visitor Zlata Radovanovic reflected on the film's resonance for Serbia's own past. "It brought back memories of the wars in the former Yugoslavia, of the war on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija," she said. "Such things must never be forgotten. The whole world must draw a serious lesson from this."

Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming, addressing the audience before the screening, emphasized that the film is based on authentic footage of the Nanjing Massacre.

"Today, we remember history not to perpetuate hatred, but to safeguard the truth and defend peace," he said, stressing that attempts to deny or distort aggression are a challenge to the post-war international order and to human conscience.

"Only by firmly remembering the suffering of the past can we better cherish today's peace," Li added, noting that China is willing to work with partners to uphold the spirit of the anti-fascist struggle, safeguard the post-war order, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The accompanying exhibition, Carrying Forward the Great Spirit of the War of Resistance, presented historic images chronicling the Chinese people's struggle against Japanese aggression, from the Sept. 18 Incident of 1931 to Japan's surrender in 1945.

The curatorial text highlighted the conflict as the largest and most costly national liberation struggle in modern Chinese history, and underscored its lasting legacy of patriotism, sacrifice, and unity under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

As audiences lingered over the photo panels after the screening, the evening stood as both a tribute to the past and a reminder that the lessons of history must be preserved for generations to come.