China’s Hidden Children
Al Jazeera | 25min
Postproduction script
The Main Characters:
1. Shao Changfang -
A mother of a five years old son, who has been
abducted by his father for a year, and she now lives in Beijing.
2. Zeng Xinyi - A mother of a six years old son, who has been abducted by his father for 3
years, and she now lives in Shanghai.
3. Zhang Jing - A lawyer for Shao Changfang’s divorce case, and she posts videos to share her
thoughts on women issue online.
TC |
Scenes |
Sound |
Notes |
Opening |
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00:00—00:17 |
Shao Changfang’s and Wang Jianna’s footages
of children been taken away + Shao’s face now |
UPSOT: --Shao Changfang: What are you doing? --Grandfather:
I’m not letting you in. --Shao Changfang: What are you doing? Why can’t I get in the
car with my son? --Grandfather:
I’m not letting you in. --Shao Changfang: What are you doing? |
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VO: In China, tens of thousands of children are
abducted every year in divorce cases. The culprits? Their own parents. |
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00:17—00:20 |
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UPSOT: --Zeng
Xinyi: Why did you steal my son? You abducted him from our hometown! |
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00:21—00:27 |
Zeng
Xinyi’s footages of children been taken away + Zeng’s face now |
SYNC: Zeng Xinyi: Six or seven of
them came over... and just took my son from my father’s hand. |
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00:28—00:41 |
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VO: When Chinese couples separate, abducting and
hiding a child is a common tactic to win custody. With little legal recourse,
the other parent faces an impossible situation. |
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00:42—00:52 |
Shao’s
interview Footage of
Shao Changfang’s husband holding the son in the
policy station. |
SYNC Shao Changfang: After he abducted our child, he created
a situation… where the
child lives with him long-term. And that
leads to him being granted custody. An illegal
act gets him a legal outcome. |
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00:53—00:56 |
Zeng Xinyi shout loudly in front of her husband now live apartment in
Shanghai |
UPSOT: Zeng Xinyi: Little Jin, mum
came to see you. |
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00:57—01:16 |
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VO: 101 EAST investigates child abductions in
China and meets the parents desperately searching for their children. |
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Part 1 The hidden children |
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TITLE:
CHINA’S HIDDEN CHILDREN |
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01:17—01:32 |
Shao Changfang walks into her room and gets ready for a
videocall with her son |
VO: Shao Changfang is
the mother of a five-year-old boy. But the only signs of him in her Beijing
apartment are these photos and a handful of toys. She only sees him on a video call once a week. |
Beijing |
01:33—01:46 |
Shao’s interview |
SYNC: My son was
taken away on 2nd February, 2021. The weekly
20-minute video calls are my only contact with my child. But I have no idea
where he is. |
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01:47—02:21 |
No one
answers the videocall. Shao Changfang message with
her husband. |
UPSOT: Shao Changfang: He didn’t
pick up. Messages on
Shao’s phone screen: Shao’s
husband: If there’s anything, just text. For a variety of reasons
we can’t do the 10 a.m. video call. Shao Changfang: Why did you not tell me this beforehand? Today
is the first day of the New Year. I need to let my son know that his mother
loves him. |
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02:22—02:41 |
Broll of
Shao Changfang’s room |
VO: On the morning of February 2nd, 2021, Changfang hugged her son and left him in the care of her
mother-in-law. Her husband had filed for divorce, and they
had a court hearing that day. But when Changfang
returned home, her son and her mother-in-law were nowhere to be found. |
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02:42—02:52 |
Shao Changfang interview: |
UPSOT: Shao Changfang: Everything
happened so suddenly. I figured
the divorce could be tough on me and
my son… but I never
thought he’d be abducted. |
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02:53—03:22 |
Shao Changfang’s footage of she tried to reach out her son
from her mother-in-law, but being rejected. Shuo-joh |
VO: She called the police, but
was told there was nothing they could do because it was a family matter. After five months of searching, relatives
told her that her son was with his grandparents in Shuozhou,
more than 400 kilometers from Beijing. She went there to confront them. |
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UPSOT: --Shao Changfang: What are you doing? --Grandfather:
I’m not letting you in. --Shao Changfang: What are you doing? Why can’t I get in the
car with my son? --Grandfather:
I’m not letting you in. --Shao Changfang: What are you doing? |
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03:23—03:29 |
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VO: As her son was driven away that day, it was
the last time she saw him in person. |
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03:30—03:43 |
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SYNC: Shao Changfang: I didn’t want to give up. But there was nothing I could do. It was so hard for my son. I felt terribly sorry for him. |
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03:44—03:50 |
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Devastated, Changfang
returned to Beijing alone. Her father Shao Jiandong
now lives with her |
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03:51—04:14 |
A dinner
between Shao Changfang and her father at home on
the first day of 2022. |
UPSOT: Father of
Shao Changfang: Of course,
parents want their child to have a good life. I hope you can solve the issues
in your family. There’s a
good solution to every problem. Everything
will be okay. |
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04:15—04:22 |
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VO: Changfang tries calling her estranged husband again in the afternoon, and
this time is able to talk to her son. |
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04:23—04:57 |
Shao Changfang tries to videocall her son later that day. The
son, little stone, was sound mute but crying through the entire 25 mins of
videocall. |
UPSOT: Shao Changfang: Hello, look
at this boy! Hello,
little boy! Happy New
Year to my Little Stone. Why are you
crying? Tell mummy. Mummy
really wants to hug you. You’re sad
because you haven’t seen mummy in a
year, right? Let me have
a look, little boy. |
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04:58—05:11 |
Shao Changfang interacts with her son from her end. |
SYNC: Shao Changfang: I think he
feels anxious because the family
isn’t together… and a sense
of panic because he has been
taken all over the country. I don’t
think these calls can make up for it. |
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05:12—06:21 |
Shao Changfang opens gifts that she prepare
for her son, but her son doesn’t show much interests. After 25
mins of video call, Shao Changfang’s son was told
to say bye. Shao Changfang ends the call. |
UPSOT: --Shao Changfang: I want to open up this present for you! Let’s be
happy, shall we? Today is
the first day of the New Year. Let’s be
happy, shall we? Let’s have
a look, shall we? Look at
this. Look at
this. Who is
this? Do you recognise it? It’s a
mother pig… Right? Little
Stone, where did you run off to? --Little
Stone: Mama… --Shao Changfang: Here. --Little
stone: Mama, bye-bye. --Shao Changfang: Oh, you want… Come in
front of the camera, let mum see
you… and say
goodbye to mum, all right? --Little
stone: Mama, grandma… --Shao Changfang: What did grandma do? You want to
play, right? ----Little
stone: Mama, bye bye… --Shao Changfang: You are so sad. Okay,
bye-bye. Let’s meet
another day, okay? Don’t cry,
don’t cry. If you cry,
mummy will be sad. Bye-bye. |
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06:22—06:49 |
Shao Changfang gets emotion after the videocall, seeing her
son crying for 25 mins with sound mute. |
UPSOT Shao Changfang: This is the
first time I’ve video-called my son… and he was
crying the whole time. I’m sure he
feels very sad… because he
hasn’t seen his mother for a year. The people
around him keep telling him
his mother is no good… so that
must be confusing for him. ‘I
obviously love my mother, why are you
making me speak ill of her?’ He’s very
sad because he’s a delicate child. |
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06:50—07:16 |
no parent has never been convicted for abducting their child. Police determine that a
child has been taken away by one of their parents while both parents are a
married couple, they consider it not a case of human trafficking, abduction or a missing child, but a family matter. |
VO: Chinese authorities have long considered a
parent hiding a child from their spouse a family dispute. So far, not a single case against a parent
abducting a child has been accepted by a Chinese court Changfang’s only hope for reuniting with her son is to win custody rights by
filing for divorce. However, as past cases show, the parent with
the child is usually awarded custody. |
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07:17—07:24 |
Shao Changfang touches her son’s photo. |
SYNC: Shao Changfang: After he
abducted our child… he created
a situation where the
child lives with him long-term. |
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07:24—07:43 |
Shao Changfang Interview |
UPSOT: Shao Changfang: An illegal
act gets him a legal outcome, where he is
granted custody. Doesn’t
that invite such behaviour? If courts make these decisions again and again… isn’t that
a hint to parents that, as long as they abduct their children… everything
will be okay? What good
is the law if we can’t get justice? |
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07:43—07:51 |
Beginning
of “Lawyer Zhang talks about Marriage” Online show |
UPSOT: Zhang Jing: Good
afternoon, everyone. Marriage lawyer Zhang… is here to
see you again in our living room. |
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07:51—08:18 |
Footage of Zhangjin speaking in her show. Broll of
Zhang Jing’s office and she working. |
VO: Zhang Jing is Changfang’s
lawyer and an expert on marital law. She regularly shares videos on social
media to help women learn about their legal rights. The number of children being abducted by
their own father or mother has risen in recent years. Based on Chinese court records… Jing
estimates 80,000 were abducted in custody disputes in 2019. |
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08:18—09:13 |
Interview
with Zhang Jing Broll of
Beijing’s women |
UPSOT Zhang Jing:
Traditionally,
a couple lives with the man’s family. A woman
marries into his family. Mothers and
their children are all
part of the man’s family. When it
comes to divorce… the woman
can leave, but the
child has to stay. This is
related to traditional notions. The
phenomenon of children being
abducted and hidden… I think, is
related to how society has changed
in recent years. Women have
more power. They’re
financially independent. And their
outlook on life is different than before. When it
comes to divorce… custody
rights become a big dispute. |
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09:13—09:38 |
Zeng Xinyi
search on the internet. Zung Zung-zho |
VO: While Changfang at
least gets to video call her son, another mother, Zeng Xinyi isn’t so
fortunate. It’s been more than four years since her
life was torn apart. After Xinyi separated from her husband, his
relatives snatched her son off the street near her home in Zhangzhou. |
Shanghai |
09:38—09:46 |
Zeng Xinyi
looks at photos of her son in the room. |
UPSOT: Zeng Xinyi: I haven’t
dared to watch this video again. |
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09:47—10:12 |
The footage
of Zeng Xinyi’s son been taken away. |
VO: This CCTV footage shows the moment the
two-year-old was abducted. SYNC: Zeng Xinyi:
My father
took my son for a walk through the
neighbourhood. Six or
seven of them came over… and just
took my son from my father’s hand. I was
upstairs at the time. My neighbour came up to tell me my son had
been taken away. I was in
shock. |
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10:12—10:31 |
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VO: Over the next four years, Xinyi never got to spend
time with her son as his father continued moving him around. Xinyi’s husband finally agreed to a divorce
in 2020. The court awarded him custody rights on the
grounds that the boy had lived with his father for a long time. |
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10:31—10:45 |
Xinyi’s photo footage |
VO: Xinyi finally discovered her son was in
Shanghai when she saw a photo taken on his birthday. She immediately moved to the city and
tracked down where he was and where he went to school. |
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10:45—10:54 |
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VO: Xinyi waits outside her son’s school gate
every morning and afternoon, hoping to catch a glimpse of him from a
distance. |
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10:54—11:45 |
Zeng Xinyi
approaches to a student and his son’s teacher. Teacher
Zhang |
UPSOT: Zeng Xinyi:
Teacher Zhang, sorry to bother again. Where has he been these two days? The
teacher: He hasn’t come to school. Zeng Xinyi:
Could you tell his father to let him come to class? His
schooling shouldn’t be interrupted. The teacher
to the other student says: Thank you. Write faster tomorrow, okay? Zeng Xinyi:
Could you do that? His father
will listen to you. You can
persuade him. He said
that in order to avoid me he won’t
let him come to class. The
teacher: I don’t know what the reason is. Zeng Xinyi:
Right. The
teacher: Last time he said the boy was ill. He didn’t
say anything else. Zeng Xinyi:
Please try to get in contact with him. It’s been
too many days. He should
let him go to school. The
teacher: I will try again, because he
said the boy was ill. He didn’t
say anything else. Zeng Xinyi:
Right. |
|
11:45—11:56 |
Footages of
Zeng Xinyi once got closer up to his son, who was
with his grandmother and aunt. |
VO: Once, when Xinyi tried to approach her son
after school, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law intervened. A fight broke out in front of the school
gate. |
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11:56—12:15 |
- Zeng
Xinyi’s sister-in-law pushes her away -Zeng
Xinyi’s mother-in-law spits on her - Zeng
Xinyi’s son crying aside. |
UPSOT: Zeng Xinyi:
Why are you stealing my child? You’ve been
hiding him for so long. Zeng Xinyi:
That’s my child. Why are you
scaring him like this? SYNC: Zeng Xinyi:
Wouldn’t any mother whose child has been taken from her for three years
resist… if she was kept from seeing him? |
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12:16—12:26 |
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VO: After witnessing the scuffle, many other
parents have become sympathetic to Xinyi’s fight. When they drop off their own children, they
keep track of whether her son has come to school. |
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12:26—12:50 |
Back in
reality, Zeng Xinyi approaches to some mid-aged men, one works as parking
lots across the school gate, who help Zeng Xinyi to pay attention to if his
son goes to school or now. Others are ones who wait to pick up their children
from school. They share sympathy for Zeng Xinyi, and
try to give her suggestion on meeting her son. |
UPSOT: If you see him, take a photo. Zeng Xinyi:
His teacher doesn’t know why he took time off. I asked her
to persuade his father to let him
come to school. The man 2:
You’re such a decent person. If it were
me, I’d go talk
to the principal. Zeng Xinyi:
I have talked to her. I did this morning. The man 1:
What did she say? Zeng Xinyi:
She didn’t want to be involved. She told me
to speak to his teacher, and then
she walked away. The man 1:
Don’t start a fight. If you see
him, take a photo, that’s all.
You need
evidence. |
|
12:51—13:07 |
Many
parents are waiting outside of the school to pick up their children, and Zeng
Xinyi is one of them. |
VO: In 60 percent of cases, it’s fathers who
abduct children, and usually those taken - are boys under the age of 6. Sons are traditionally favoured
in China, because they carry on the family
bloodline. |
|
13:07—13:18 |
Zeng Xinyi
leaves alone on the sidewalk of the shcool. |
SYNC Zeng XInyi: They figured he’s the oldest grandchild, and he’s
a boy. They felt
he was their family’s future. They really
treasure him. |
|
13:19—13:38 |
Shanghai Broll |
UPSOT: Zeng Xinyi:
I went to the court. His
relatives thought, ‘if you really make such a big deal out of it, we won’t
let you see him.’ It’s as if
they saw my child as an object that… they could
use to take revenge on me. |
|
13:38—13:53 |
Shanghai Broll |
SYNC: Zeng Xinyi:
My child is my weak spot. It made me feel
like I had failed as a mother. I told
myself I will never be this naive again. |
|
13:53—14:45 |
Zeng Xinyi
is in a car while getting a call from Women’s federation. |
VO: Unable to see her son at school, Xinyi
contacts the All-China Women’s Federation, a government organization that supports women’s
rights. UPSOT --Women’s
federation: He isn’t
picking up the phone. I’ve told
the neighbourhood committee about your
situation. If you’ve
made video calls… that means
you’ve not been fully blocked from seeing
your child. --Zeng
Xinyi: I know, but
he refuses any form of contact. He has
blocked me everywhere. He doesn’t
answer my calls. --Women’s
federation: There’s
nothing else I can do. There is no
legal instrument. We can only
be passive. We called
but he didn’t answer. --Zeng
Xinyi: Okay, I see. I will try
to chat with the neighbourhood committee. --Women‘s Federation: Take care. |
|
14:45—14:56 |
Zeng Xinyi
walks up to her husband’s apartment in Shanghai. |
VO: Because her husband refuses to communicate,
it seems the women’s federation, the school, and the neighbourhood
committee are all unable to help Xinyi reunite with her son. |
|
14:56—15:09 |
Zeng Xinyi
knocks the door and ask for child, but no one responds. |
UPSOT Zeng Xinyi:
Little Jin, mum came to see you. VO: So she decides to take
matters into her own hands. UPSOT Zeng Xinyi:
Open the door. I want to
see my son. VO: She has come to her husband’s home to try to
talk to her son. |
|
15:09—15:25 |
|
SYNC Zeng Xinyi:
If you hide a child like this every day… don’t let him go to kindergarten… you lock
him inside the home and bring him… to a
different relative all the time… then I
can’t wait for your response any longer. I won’t sit
still. |
|
15:25—15:49 |
the cctv footage contains Zeng two different
attempts. She was pushed off the stairs by a man once, and other time, she
was pulled water while waited outside. |
VO: But it might put her in a dangerous and
unpredictable situation. Earlier attempts by Xinyi to visit her son
at home ended in violence and assault.. But it’s no use. There’s no response. And Xinyi is left with little choice but to
leave without seeing her son. |
|
15:49—16:03 |
Shao Changfang say about her son’s clothes. |
VO: Back in Beijing, Changfang’s
husband withdrew his divorce filing in October 2021. Changfang has now decided to file for divorce herself to try and get custody
of her son. |
BeiJing |
16:03—16:41 |
|
UPSOT Shang Changfang: Before my
son was taken away, this is
what he was wearing. It was
winter, so he
was wearing pyjamas. I’ve always
left these on the bed. He’s been
gone for a year… so he
must have grown at least 10 centimetres. In the
videos he looks taller and bigger… so I
bought him clothes in a bigger size. I hope they
fit. It’s been a
year since I last saw him. I wanted to
buy him shoes, but I have
no idea what size he wears now. We’ll get
those when he’s moved back. |
|
16:41—17:02 |
Shao Changfang organize her son’s favorite car toys. |
UPSOT Shao Changfang: These are
his toy cars. Even though
we haven’t seen each other in a year… we still have that mother-son bond. I showed
him his toys from when he was little… and he
immediately remembered. I feared he
would forget about me, but he
hasn’t. Those
moments make me feel good. |
|
17:02—17:27 |
Shao Changfang prepares the material for her divorce case |
VO: Until recently, stability was a key factor
that courts considered when granting custody. This made abducting a child a common tactic. A
legal amendment in June 2021 banned parents from snatching children in
custody disputes. Shao Changfang and
her lawyer Jing are hopeful that she may now have a better chance of being
reunited with her son. |
|
17:28—17:40 |
Zhang Jing
Interview |
SYNC: Zhang Jing: Most importantly,
we had nothing, and now we
have something. One parent
keeping the other parent out of
their child’s life… is a
violation of a child’s rights. |
|
17:40—17:52 |
Zhang Jing
interview |
UPSOT: Zhang Jing:
The law acts as a final barrier to protect
the rights of children. We’ve been
leading the way for a new
understanding of this issue. The law is
no longer silent. |
|
17:53—18:03 |
Shao Changfang comes to visit Zhang Jing in her office. |
UPSOT: --Shao Changfang: Lawyer Zhang! I’m here! --Zhang
Jing: Hello! VO: The day before the hearing, Changfang visits Jing’s office to prepare. |
|
18:04—18:45 |
In Zhang
Jing’s office, Shao Changfang talks about her
videocall and expectation for her divorces case. |
SYNC: Zhang Jing: Happy New
Year! This is the
first time we’ve meet this year. Zhang Jing:
Have you seen him recently? Shao Changfang: Apart from
the weekly call… he also
sent me three videos. It’s a kind
of appeasement. Zhang Jing: It’s been
going on for so long now. We’re
already at the appeals stage of a
regular legal process. Whatever
the court decides we have to accept. But getting
to see your son has to be allowed. He’s been
crying his heart out. If custody
can be given to us, we will
strive for it. If we
aren’t given custody, we want
visitation rights. In short,
we only care about the
child’s needs. |
|
18:45—19:01 |
B-roll of Changfang
in the street in front of the court. |
VO: On January 6, 2022, the court heard Changfang’s divorce case. She confronted her husband
during an emotional hour-long hearing. |
|
19:01—19:40 |
Shao Changfang and her lawyer Zhang Jing outside of court |
SYNC: Shao Changfang: Now we just
have to wait for the result. I was
afraid he wouldn’t show up. At the end
of the hearing I really wanted to cry. Zhang Jing: I think the
judge was very understanding
of your situation. Shao Changfang: Yes. He
knew all about it. Zhang Jing: It’s not
something anyone should ever do. Shao Changfang: It feels
like we’re back at the start. There may
be more problems about our son later. Zhang Jing:It won't be like this forever. There’s
always going to be a solution. Shao Changfang: Yes. |
|
19:41—19:53 |
Pix
of Changfang leaving? Start
pix of video here? |
VO: Changfang holds onto hope and her memories of when
she and her son were together. This
video was taken days before he was taken away. |
|
19:53—20:15 |
February
2021 Footage
of Changfang and her son walking in the park,
labeled “This video was taken days before Changfang’s
son was taken away.” |
Little
Stone:Mummy, are we going this way? Shao Changfang:Yes. Little
Stone:Okay then I’ll walk here. Shao Changfang:Okay, you go ahead. Little
Stone:Mum, stay close. Look,
there’s the sea. Shao Changfang:Haha, the sea? Little
Stone:Don’t you think that’s scary? There’s a
ladder there. Shao Changfang:That’s a ladder? |
|
20:15—20:23 |
Shot
of a fork in the road, with Changfang slowly walking
into view |
SYNC Shao Changfang: I’ve fantasised many times about the day… when my son
comes back to me. |
|
20:23—20:45 |
Fade
in of a park where children are playing with their parents and grandparents.
Shots of Changfang’s close-up, a train a passing by
and a plane flying over. |
SYNC Shao Changfang: I might not
hug him and weep. I’ll very
calmly take his hand and tell him… ‘Let’s go
home with mum. Did you go
on a trip? Did you see
a lot of beautiful scenery? Tell mum
about it.’ I might
pick him up this way, as if he
never left me. |
|
20:45—21:00 |
|
VO: After an anxious two-month wait, the court
reaches a verdict. |
|
21:00—21:22 |
|
SYNC Zhang Jing
on the phone:They’ve given you custody. Shao Changfang:Amazing! I was
almost scared to death, lawyer
Zhang. Zhang Jing
on the phone: I was also very worried. It’s been
so difficult. Shao Changfang:Great, great, great. |
|
21:22—21:43 |
Changfang, while crying, calls her parents and friends to share
the news. |
SYNC: Last year
was the hardest year of my life. It was also
the most valuable year of my life. Even though
I was separated from my son… I also
gained a lot of inner strength. I found I’m
no longer afraid of this issue. I’m
convinced this will all be resolved. |
|
21:44—21:59 |
|
VO: Having been given custody of her son, Changfang contacts her husband. She hopes the verdict
will make him bring their child back to Beijing. But she finds he has no such plans. |
|
22:00—22:44 |
CAN WE HAVE PAUSES WHERE HER HUSBAND SPOKE
TO SHOW SHE IS LISTENING. DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE ACTUAL
LISTENING TIME, BUT TO IMPLY THAT SHE IS LISTENING TO SOMEONE, EVEN THOUGH WE
CAN’T HEAR IT. LIKE IF YOU
HEAR SOMEONE TALKING ON THE PHONE TO SOMEONE ON THE BUS AND YOU CAN’T HEAR
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONVERSATION |
SYNC: Shao Changfang: Hello? Shao Changfang: You’ve seen the
verdict, right? Shao Changfang: The verdict, the
verdict. Shao Changfang: So, when can I see
our Little Stone? Shao Changfang: It
hasn’t gone into effect… I can still
see my son. You’re
going to appeal. Why
can’t I see my son before
the verdict goes into effect? So you’re saying that
before the appeal verdict… you’ll
keep not letting me see my son, is
that right? Shao Changfang: Before the verdict
goes into effect… as
a mother, I
have the right to see my son. |
|
22:45—23:01 |
|
VO: Changfang is devastated that despite winning custody, she
can’t see her child until her husband’s appeal is heard. But she refuses to stop fighting for her
son. Today she makes another video call with him. |
|
23:02—24:08 |
Shao Changfang has video call with Little Stone near the lake
they had been. |
SYNC: Shao Changfang: The weather is so nice today. Look at the
blue sky. Mother’s
face in the sun shines brightly. I’m so
happy. Right? Little
Stone: Will you bring bad people to abduct me? Shao Changfang: There are no bad people. Mummy won’t
abduct you. Little
Stone: But last time… Shao Changfang: Last time bad people abducted you. Mummy tried
to save you. You’re too
young. You don’t
need to think about these things. You’ll
understand once you’re older. Okay? Can mummy
send you something? How about
something nice to eat? Little
Stone: Okay. Shao Changfang: Okay, you agree? No problem.
What would
you like? Little
Stone: But don’t lie. Shao Changfang: I’m not lying. Mummy never
lies. I’ve never
told Little Stone any lies, have I? Shao Changfang: Do you see it? |
|
24:08—24:25 |
Zeng Xinyi
on a subway in Shanghai. |
While Changfang’s
husband appeals the custody ruling, all she can do is wait. Back in Shanghai, Xinyi is also waiting on a
court hearing. She hopes she will finally see her son next summer holidays. |
|
24:25—24:51 |
City
skylines, street views Zeng walking on the streets, she passes by and sees
kids playing, in Shanghai. The reply of Shao Changfang’s
ex-husband. The reply of Zeng Xinyi’s husband. |
VO:Even
though the recent legal amendment clearly bans abducting and hiding children,
critics argue the law is an “empty threat” because it lacks effective
enforcement methods. Neither Changfang’s
or Xinyi’s husband received any punishment for
abducting their child. The two men did not respond to our requests
for an interview. |
|
24:51—25:20 |
Shao and
Zeng, mixed cut, two of them walk away wide shots. |
VO:In China, there
are thousands of parents forcibly separated from their children. Many give up, but those like Changfang and
Xinyi are determined to keep on fighting - No
matter how long it takes. Both mothers are still waiting for the day they can hold their sons again. |
|