Shen Yun Documentary Screening in Taipei Shines Spotlight on CCP Pressure Campaign

TAIPEI, Taiwan—A documentary about Shen Yun Performing Arts and the Chinese regime’s campaign against the classical Chinese dance company drew Taiwanese politicians, scholars, and civic leaders to a Taipei screening, where audience members said the film carried a warning for free democratic societies.“Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun” was screened on May 28 at SPOT-Huashan cinema in Taipei. Four Shen Yun artists attended the event and spoke with audience members after the screening.The film’s official synopsis says it follows Shen Yun as it gains international recognition while facing smear campaigns, threats of violence, and other intimidation tactics linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, was founded in 2006 and presents classical Chinese dance, music, and stories inspired by China’s pre-communist civilization. Its performances also include depictions of the Chinese regime’s persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline practiced by Shen Yun’s artists.Also known as Falun Dafa, the practice consists of meditation exercises and teachings based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance for self-improvement. Introduced to the public in China in the early 1990s, it gained widespread popularity, reaching between 70 million and 100 million practitioners by the end of the decade, according to official estimates at the time.In July 1999, the CCP, fearing that Falun Gong’s popularity threatened the regime’s power, launched a brutal campaign to eradicate the practice. Since then, many have suffered arbitrary detention, forced labor, torture, and even death.‘Unbroken’Taiwan Solidarity Union chairwoman Chou Ni-an said she was moved by the artists’ determination.“What touched me today was especially their strong will,” Chou said after the screening. “When they encountered difficulties, they moved forward courageously.”Chou said the film’s title captured something she hopes more people will take from the documentary.“We all know that in recent years, China’s evil forces have continued to penetrate many democratic countries, including Taiwan, and we have also faced many threats,” she said. “But just like the title of this film, [the spirit of these countries] is unbreakable. We hope everyone can have that courage to face difficulties.”Fan Sun-lu, a member of Control Yuan, the branch of Taiwan’s government responsible for monitoring the other branches, said the young artists’ persistence stood out.Control Yuan member Fan Sun-lu attends the VIP screening of “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun” at SPOT-Huashan Cinema in Taipei on May 28, 2026. Fan praised the young Shen Yun artists for sharing their beliefs through art around the world. Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch Times“We were very moved, especially by these artists—their persistence and effort, and their ability to present such good art,” Fan said. “Although they are very young, it feels as if they have already traveled the world and spread their belief. I think that is very important.”New Taipei City Councilor Huang Shu-chun said the artists deserved gratitude because they continue performing while facing pressure from the Chinese regime.“We know that in today’s international society, they still face a lot of pressure from the CCP,” Huang said. “Facing that pressure, they persist in their belief and spread this concept of selfless compassion.”New Taipei City Councilor Huang Shu-chun attends the VIP screening of “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun” at SPOT-Huashan Cinema in Taipei on May 28, 2026. Huang said Shen Yun artists continue to uphold their beliefs and promote values of compassion and beauty despite pressure from the Chinese Communist Party. Tai Te-man/The Epoch TimesTransnational RepressionChang Hung-lin, executive director of Citizen Congress Watch, said the film clearly presented what he described as the CCP’s campaign of transnational repression.“This film very clearly tells you that the CCP is continuously using its international influence to carry out cross-border repression,” Chang said. “It even uses threats against Shen Yun performances to influence and control every place. That is a very frightening thing.”Chang Hung-lin, executive director of Citizen Congress Watch, attends the VIP screening of “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun” at SPOT-Huashan Cinema in Taipei on May 28, 2026. Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch TimesTamkang University associate professor Cheng Chin-mo said the film showed how the CCP uses the openness of free societies to spread fear.“If we give up because we are afraid, then it succeeds,” Cheng said after the screening.Cheng said he was moved by the young performers, whose ages reminded him of his own children.“When I saw these young people—so idealistic, willing to dedicate themselves and give—I was truly moved,” he said.Tamkang University associate professor Cheng Chin-mo attends the VIP screening of “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun” at SPOT-Huashan Cinema in Taipei on May 28, 2026. Cheng said the film illustrates how fear can be used to pressure free and democratic societies. Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch TimesFormer Taiwan representative to France Lu Ching-lung said he had seen Shen Yun’s first performance in Paris and has watched the company perform at least 14 times. He said Shen Yun’s performances, talent development, professional investment, and program innovation deserve respect.Lu said the death threats, bomb threats, and deliberate attempts to discredit Shen Yun were abnormal.“If you compromise in the face of this kind of unjust evil, it will never end,” Lu told The Epoch Times.Scholar Says Film Carries WarningLi Yu-tan, an adjunct professor at National Chengchi University’s Graduate Institute of Development Studies, said the documentary’s account of Shen Yun’s persistence offers a lesson for democratic countries.“Facing the threats, persecution, and challenges from the totalitarian CCP, we need to demonstrate greater willpower and resilience—that is, democratic resilience—to respond,” Li said.National Chengchi University adjunct professor Li Yu-tan attends the VIP screening of “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun” at SPOT-Huashan Cinema in Taipei on May 28, 2026. Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch TimesLi said the artists’ training reflected more than physical discipline.“They cultivate not only their bodies but also their minds,” he said. “They use the greatest tolerance, forbearance, and endurance to face this kind of persecution by totalitarian dictatorship.”A Global Campaign Beyond the StageThe pressure described in the documentary is part of a broader transnational repression campaign targeting Shen Yun and the Falun Gong faith outside the CCP’s immediate reach in China.A Falun Dafa Information Center incident tracker, updated May 30, recorded 365 incidents targeting Shen Yun worldwide since 2006. Since March 2024, the tracker has recorded 290 anonymous death and bomb threats aimed at Falun Gong practitioners, Shen Yun-related targets, government officials, or public institutions, including 157 Shen Yun-related threats directed at Falun Gong and 130 Shen Yun-related threats directed at government officials or institutions.The tactics documented by the center include bomb and mass-shooting threats, false impersonations of Falun Gong practitioners, online disinformation, lawfare efforts, attempts to trigger U.S. government investigations, and pressure campaigns directed at theaters, public officials, and media outlets.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said John Chen, also known as Chen Jun, acted at the direction of the CCP from January to May 2023 in a plot to target Falun Gong practitioners in the United States. Prosecutors said Chen and co-defendant Lin Feng tried to manipulate the IRS whistleblower program to revoke the tax-exempt status of Shen Yun Performing Arts.Prosecutors said Chen and Lin paid $5,000 in cash bribes, promised $50,000 for opening an audit of Shen Yun, and offered 60 percent of any IRS whistleblower award if the complaint succeeded. However, the person who they thought was an IRS official was an undercover officer.Chen was sentenced in November 2024 to 20 months in prison; Lin was sentenced to time served after 16 months in custody.The FBI has described the threat from the Chinese regime and the CCP as one arising from “programs and policies pursued by an authoritarian government” and not from the Chinese people or people of Chinese descent.“Unbroken” was released on March 24. It is available to watch on streaming platforms, including GJW+, NTD+, and YouTube.