Join
National Geographic Photographer Michael Yamashita and director Jonathon Finnigan at the New York screening of their feature-length documentary,
Ghost Fleet, the Epic Voyage of Zheng He.
Featured on the closing night of the
New York International Independent Film & Video Festival, it unspools at VILLAGE EAST CINEMAS, 181 2nd Ave. at 12th St. on May 11th at 8:05pm. Yamashita narrates the story of Zheng He, the greatest seafarer the world has never heard of in this documentary co-produced with Finnigan.
…
Between 1405 and 1433, Mongolian Muslim Admiral Zheng He of China led seven epic voyages to more than 30 countries, including Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Kenya and Tanzania. The admiral and his crew gathered knowledge and wealth from Indochina to Africa for China's Ming imperial empire. These voyages were the biggest naval expeditions mounted at the time. He was bigger than life, and could have changed the course of history. But after the seven voyages, he and his Treasure Fleet were forgotten by China, and the world, for six hundred years. National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita sets sail to discover why.
To celebrate the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's maiden exploration voyage, Michael Yamashita traveled over 10,000 miles from Yunnan in China to Africa's Swahili coast taking over 40,000 pictures for the feature story on this great explorer, published in the July 2005 edition of
National Geographic.
The photojournalist has specialized in photographing Asia for more than 30 years and retracing the path of Zheng He for
National Geographic Magazine was a tailor made subject after the popularity of his coverage of Marco Polo. He reteamed with
Marco Polo director Jonathon Finnegan and a film crew to share his adventures on the trail of Zheng He for a documentary entitled,
Ghost Fleet: The Epic Voyage of Zheng He. The film aired in December 2005 in Asia on the National Geographic Channel Asia. Yamashita's new book of his Zheng He journey is in the works.
SCREEN 2-VILLAGE EAST CINEMAS
181 2nd Ave. at 12th St.
New York City
May 11, 2006
8:05pm
HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS
Tickets are $12 and are available in advance through www.nyfilmvideo.com
or call 1-866-468-7619
The Zheng He story follows on the heels of the success of his photographs of the Travels of Marco Polo, first published in an unprecedented 80-page, three-part series (May, June and July 2001) in
National Geographic magazine. The photographic essays were the most popular of 2001 and were tapped by White Star Publishers for a sumptuous full color 504-page book,
Marco Polo, A Photographer’s Journey. The book continues to set sales records as a best selling photographic book around the world and has been published in thirteen languages.
The photographer used Marco Polo's 1299 text,
The Description of the World as his virtual guidebook, traveling in Polo's footsteps more than 6,000 miles. He photographed the
Marco Polo series of images over a period of two years. A photographic exhibition entitled, "Marco Polo Returns to China," has been on display around the world and last year the National Geographic Channel Asia produced the award-winning documentary,
Marco Polo Returns to China. Yamashita narrated his journey as an American photographer retracing and documenting Marco Polo's route from West to the East.
I caught up with the intrepid photographer at Sushisamba in New York, a week before the Asia premiere in December. En route to Hong Kong for the opening screenings of
Treasure Fleet, we chatted about the accompanying photo exhibitions and the new book of his Zheng He journey in the works.
"Zheng He's seven epic voyages spanning some 28 years were monumental in Chinese history and the great maritime achievement of its time." said Yamashita. "In retracing the 10,000-mile journey, I traveled to some of the most amazing ports and destinations in the world. After last year's Marco Polo story, I am delighted to have had the opportunity to do another story on a great explorer."
The Zheng He series is produced by Saga Pictures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saga Media International Inc., which was founded and is jointly owned by Michael Yamashita and film director Jonathan Finnigan. Hong Kong businessman Frederick Chan acted in the capacity as one of the co-executive producers along with Yamashita and Finnigan for the Zheng He at the inception of the production. Other members of the production team includes New Zealand based producer Paula Mason and cinematographer Grant Douglas.
www.luckydevilfilms.com
www.Sagapictures.com
www.ZhengHethefilm.com
www.michaelyamashita.com
UPCOMING SCREENINGS:
Montclair International Film Festival (Sunday, April 23rd, 1p.m.)
c/o HP Productions, LLC
Sunday, April 23rd 1pm
Ghost Fleet: The Epic Voyage of Zheng He
WELLMONT (Roberts) Theatres
April 23rd at 1pm
427 Bloomfield Avenue
Suite 207
Montclair NJ 07042
U S A
Phone: 973-509-7300
contact@montclairfilmfestival.com
http://www.montclairfilmfestival.com
Date: April 20-23
Tory Island Maritime Film Festival (June 21 – June 26)
Pier Head, Tory Island
Co. Donegal
Ireland
Phone: 00 353 (0) 74 91 80786
www.Lughfilm.com/info@lughfilm.com
Date: June 21 – June 26
Related Features
China's Great Armada at National Geographic.com
Q & A with Mike Yamashita
Beijing Diaries: On the trail of Photographer Mike Yamashita, a modern day Marco Polo 
