This page is updated regularly with ongoing information about the current state of the project. Please contact us if you would like to make a difference by sharing your knowledge, research or experiences.

April 2008

PRODUCTION

  • Feature film is sent to representatives of the industry in Hollywood and to the composer who it is hoped will work on the production

March 2008

PRODUCTION

  • Editing of feature film is completed

February 2008

PRODUCTION

  • Work on the feature film begins

January 2008 - England

PRODUCTION

  • Transcripts of interviews are worked on
  • Short film is launched on www.current.com

December 2007 - Hong Kong

FILMING

  • Interview with Dr Chan Hing Lin (professor of economics)
  • Interview with To Yiu Mind (expert on the media)

PRODUCTION

  • Work begins on a document which contains all the evidence gathered

November 2007

PRODUCTION

  • The short film is refined
  • Contacts within the industry are made in the UK and USA

October 2007 - England

FILMING

  • Interview with one of the editors for the book 'A China More Just', written by the Mainland Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng.

September 2007 - England

FILMING

  • Interview with a Taiwanese practitioner who was unlawfully arrested at Hong Kong airport and denied entry to the SAR of Hong Kong.

PRODUCTION

  • A new logo was designed by 3 Lotus Media.
  • Invited to the book launch of Gao Zhisheng China, written by Gao Zhisheng.

June 2007 - England

FILMING

  • Interview with Mr Mouse aka Billy Wilson, creator and organiser of the Tough Guy event.

May 2007 - Hong Kong

FILMING

  • Two interviews were conducted with workers within the realm of 'Human Rights' in China.
  • An interview with a practitioner from the US who has spent two years in HK was filmed in the beautiful setting of Hong Kong Park.
  • An interview was conducted with a Mainland practitioner who has spent many years overseas and now resides in HK. The interview took place in a park outside Legco (HK Government HQ) at the same time as rally was being held to highlight the arrest of three HK practitioners on the Mainland who were residents of Hong Kong. They were arrested for no reason as their purposes for visiting (which they had done previously on many occasions without an problems) China were to meet family and conduct business activities.
  • World Falun Dafa Day was celebrated with a parade through the streets of Hong Kong Island. Before the parade, there was a group exercise session involving over 300 HK practitioners. During the parade, several bystanders offered their opinions on the spectacle and the problems in Mainland China.

May 2007 - England

PRODUCTION

  • A new 10 minute short version of the production has been successfully edited and will be placed on the web within the month of June.

April 2007 - New York

DIARY ENTRY

  • Funding was secured to make a trip to New York to do some crucial filming and make production progress.

PRODUCTION

  • A new, and improved, 10 minute short is being prepared.
  • Contacts made with various Human Rights organisations, post-production facilities and a film making magazine.

FILMING

  • Interview with Falun Dafa practitioner Charles Lee Mr Lee was arrested in China and sentenced to 3 years. A massive initiative was set up to free Mr Lee (an American Citizen).
  • 6000 people took part in a parade down Broadway in Midtown New York. The parade highlighted the beauty of Falun Dafa and the brutality of the persecution.
  • Interview with an expert in Chinese media and civil rights. The interviewee wishes to remain anonymous to secure his own research integrity.

PROMOTIONS

  • The web site was translated into Spanish.

March 2007 - England

FILMING

  • David Kilgour presented his investigation on Organ Harvesting in China during a press conference.
  • David Kilgour meeting with Members of parliament (Lord Avebury and Lord Thurlow) filmed in the House of Commons.
  • Tibetan Parade to highlight their quest for freedom marched along the streets of London.

PROMOTIONS

  • The web site was translated into Italian.

February 2007

FILMING

  • Several filming sessions completed, centering around the story line of Ben & Jamie.

January 2007

FILMING

  • We completed the 2007 Tough Guy competition in 2hrs & 30min, bettering last year's time of 3hrs. Conditions were not as inhospitable, but we did even less training during the build up due to the demands of making the film. This time the competition was shot in HDV by two cameramen.

DIARY ENTRY

  • JAMIE: January 8th. I set off at dusk to do an 8 mile (my 5th run since Tough Guy 2006) training session in preparation for Tough Guy at the end of January... feeling good after 8 miles I carried on for a further 3... had to walk the last 4 miles home in the dark... not a good idea!!!

PRODUCTION

  • Initiatives have been put in place to seek funding to continue the project. If you can help in this area, please contact us.

December 2006

DIARY ENTRIES

  • JAMIE: December 8th. I went for my first run since Tough Guy in 2006 and only managed 3.2 miles... I think this year will be a lot more 'tough'!
  • JAMIE: December 11th. I could walk again after my run on the 8th so decided to go for another run... this time I managed 4.9 miles... I think that is good progress but realistically I need to be able to run 12 miles to have the physical ability to complete Tough Guy.

PROMOTIONS

  • A 10 minute 'short' version of What is Tough? was successfully shown during a film festival for International Human Rights Day (10th of December). Unfortunately, the quality of the production is not good enough for further public viewing's.

FILMING

  • It was our initial intention to travel to New York to film practitioners in the US and conduct interviews. Unfortunately funds are no-longer available for this journey. To compensate for this, we have contacted film crews in New York to conduct the most important US interview on our behalf.

November 2006

PROMOTIONS

  • 10 minute 'short' version of ‘What is Tough?’ has been edited to be shown on the 9th of December for International Human Rights Day.

October 2006 - Hong Kong

INTERVIEWS

  • Professor of Religion – The Professor has recently requested that I remove him from the web site due to a concern that being linked with this production may hinder his research in Mainland China.

  • Hon ALBERT HO – Lawyer and HK Legislator. Influential campaigner for Democracy and improved Human Rights in China.

  • Mr SZETO WAH – Former HK Legislator (participated in drafting Hong Kong Basic Law) & Chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. Has subsequently been banned from traveling to China.

  • Mainland Chinese Woman – A young woman allowed us to interview her on life in China and on the issue of Falun Dafa… she wishes to remain anonymous.

CONFERENCE
  • ORGAN HARVESTING – A presentation by the Honourable David Kilgour (former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific) to highlight the issue of Organ Harvesting in China.
FOOTAGE

  • Temples, markets, landscapes, artifacts and antiques of Chinese origin.

  • Activities of HK Falun Dafa Practitioners.

PROMOTIONS

  • Business Card sized promotions handout:

Front

Promotions Card - Front

Back

Promotions Card - Back

  • Banner - 6' by 4' - to be displayed during the Tough Guy event in January 2007 (double-sided):

Promotions Banner

September 2006 - Australia

INTERVIEWS

  • Mr CHEN YONGLIN – Former Chinese Communist Party Diplomat who defected from the CCP. An exposé of what it was like to work for the CCP abroad and how he learnt the truth about Falun Dafa.

  • JENNIFER CHEN – Falun Dafa Practitioner who escaped the tyranny of the CCP and now resides in Australia. She has an internationally acclaimed book released which chronicles her ordeal.

FOOTAGE

  • A rally highlighting that 14 million people have now quit the Chinese Communist Party.

August 2006 - England

PROMOTIONS
  • www.whatistough.com is launched.

June 2006

PROMOTIONS
  • Work begins on designing and constructing www.whatistough.com

May 2006 - France

INTERVIEWS

  • Ms CHEN – Practitioner of Falun Dafa who escaped torture camps of China.

  • OLIVIER – French Practitioner of Falun Dafa who was arrested in China in 2001 for promoting Falun Dafa as being a peaceful spiritual practice.

April 2006 - England

PRODUCTION
  • An Executive Producer steps up and funds the purchase of a professional Camcorder for the filming of What is Tough?

FILMING

  • Interviews are conducted with members of the public who have seen the film SYRIANA. The film SYRIANA graphically depicts torture methods used on Falun Gong practitioners in China.

June 2005

  • The concept of 'What is Tough?' is stumbled upon. Originally, it is to be a 'humble-home-movie' (shot with a family handy cam) about two young practitioners of Falun Dafa taking part in an endurance event called Tough Guy. Their aim is to make the point that no matter what it is that they put themselves through, nothing could compare to the suffering of Falun Dafa practitioners in China.