'Island Keeper' reenacts extraordinary 32-year journey of a lone island guardian couple
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, June 10, 2021
A new film reenacts the true story of a husband and his wife who guarded a Chinese border island for 32 years from 1986 to 2018.
"Island Keeper," directed by Chen Li, tells the story of Wang Jicai and his wife Wang Shihua, who lived on Kaishan Island in Guanyun county, east China's Jiangsu province, and devoted their lives to the national coast defense. They had both traveled to the island after Wang Jicai was made head of the militia sentry post there.
Director Chen Li revealed at the film’s premiere in Beijing on Tuesday that in order to reenact the protagonists’ lives, the creative team and crew traveled to Kaishan Island many times to conduct interviews and experience the life and harsh environment there. They even lived alongside Wang's wife, who still resides on the island, to note down details and understand the duties of an island guard. The actors tried their best to look the part, with veteran actor Liu Ye, who plays Wang Jicai in the film, revealing that in order to weather and darken his skin, he exposed himself to the sun every day at the beach, getting burnt several times.
As an outpost on China's Yellow Sea, Kaishan Island measures only 0.013 square kilometers, about the size of two football fields, and living conditions are poor. The Wangs lived and worked there for more than three decades until Wang Jicai died of illness at 58 in July 2018. Following his death, Wang Shihua applied to take over her husband’s duties.
The film highlights several events from the couple's life, such as how they felt lost when they first moved to the island, how they saved a man from drowning, fought with smugglers, delivered a baby in a rainstorm, and celebrated Spring Festival on the island. These episodes convey the love and inner world of Wang and his wife, as well as their noble commitment and belief that "guarding the island is protecting the country." The film also reenacts the couple's 32-year-long struggle with the island’s harsh natural environment and how they battled typhoons and rainstorms throughout the years.
The real Wang Shihua, who was a teacher before she moved to the island with her husband, attended the film's premiere in Beijing and shared memories of her husband's patriotism and dedication. "He wanted to guard the island, so I decided to stay with him," she said before expressing gratitude to the film creators. "The film made me think of the many things that happened. While my husband doesn't have the chance to see the film, I want to thank you on his behalf for telling the island guarding story to the world."
The film will be released in theaters nationwide on June 18. The Wangs' story was also adapted into a modern Peking opera that debuted in Tianjin in April.
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