Freedom Swimmer

Special | 14m 2s | Video has closed captioning.

The story of a grandfather’s perilous swim from China to Hong Kong that parallels his granddaughter’s own quest for a new freedom.

Aired: 02/13/23

Expires: 02/12/27

Rating: TV-14

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Funding & Distribution
Transcript

Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, the Open Society Foundations and the …

Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, the Open Society Foundations and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding comes from Nancy Blachman and David desJardins, Bertha Foundation, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Charitable Trust, Park Foundation, Sage Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Chris and Nancy Plaut, Abby Pucker, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee and public television viewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.

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♪♪ [ Wind whistling, rain falling ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Crowd chanting, shouting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clank ] -Huh?

-[ Speaks native language ] [ Thudding ] [ Cup clinks ] Wow.

Hm.

[ Indistinct shouting ] [ Click ] -[ Speaks native language ] [ All breathing heavily ] -Ah!

-[ Speaks native language ] ♪♪ [ Indistinct shouting ] -[ Speaks native language ] ♪♪ -Ohh.

[ Liquid pouring ] [ Leaves rustling ] -[ Inhales deeply ] [ Water splashes ] [ Gasps ] Oh.

[ Waves crashing ] [ Water bubbling ] [ Breathing heavily ] [ Footsteps approach ] [ Siren wailing ] [ Speaks native language ] -Oh.

[ Indistinct conversation ] -Shh.

Shh, shh.

[ Waves crashing ] [ Train whistle blows ] [ Train chugging ] [ Train whistle blows ] [ People groaning, coughing ] -[ Gasps ] [ Gunshots ] [ People screaming ] ♪♪ [ Siren wailing ] -Mm.

[ Chuckles ] [ Water splashing ] [ Soft creaking ] [ Water splashing ] [ Wind whistling ] [ Chicken clucking ] [ Clucking continues ] -[ Imitates chicken clucking ] [ Chicken clucking ] -[ Breathing heavily ] ♪♪ [ Breathing heavily ] Ah.

[ Gasps ] [ Wind whistling ] [ People screaming ] Ah!

[ Speaks native language ] ♪♪ Ooh.

[ Speaks native language ] [ Wind whistling ] [ Wolves howling ] -[ Imitates wolf howling ] -[ Gasps ] [ Wolves howling ] [ Waves crashing ] [ Wind howling ] -[ Speaks native language ] -[ Shouts in native language ] [ Wind howling ] [ Waves crashing ] ♪♪ -[ Blowing ] -[ Breathing heavily ] [ Gasps ] [ Indistinct shouting ] [ Crying ] -Shh.

-[ Shouting in native language ] ♪♪ [ Water splashing ] ♪♪ [ Waves crashing ] ♪♪ [ Rattling, squishing ] -[ Breathing heavily ] [ Crying ] -Ahh.

[ Knocking ] [ Footsteps ] [ Door closes ] [ Projector whirring ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Indistinct shouting ] ♪♪ [ Indistinct talking ] [ Switches click ] ♪♪ [ Wind whistling ] ♪♪ -We have some pictures tonight of one of the more unusual migration routes in the world of young Chinese leaving mainland China for Hong Kong.

-...clashes, sparking some of the worst violence between protestors and police.

-...the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the world our firm and reasoned commitment to safeguard our freedom.

-The activist said, "By losing this fight, it will be our last breath of freedom."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

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Freedom Swimmer

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