P.H. Wells, Producer, Director, Writer, Editor. Meeting 91-year-old Virginia McCutcheon in 2011 inspired Pam to fast-track her filmmaking education and begin production of My Shanghai. She describes the next two years as “a cycle of discovery, wonder, and adaptation.” After a festival-filled 2014, Pam returned to her literary roots as co-founder and Editor in Chief of the literary magazine The Timberline Review. With a master’s in Book Publishing from Portland State University, Pam now focuses on freelance literary editing as the owner of Wells Editing. IMDb
Joan Macbeth, Executive Producer, Co-Writer. An award-winning screenwriter, Joan lent her expertise to the making of My Shanghai. She later adapted a novel for producer Michael Gruskoff (My Favorite Year, Young Frankenstein) and wrote and directed the web series Honestly Charlotte. More recently Joan has completed a film adaptation of Parlor Games, a historical novel by Maryka Biaggio. IMDb
Tierney Boorboor, Co-Producer. With a long career in project management, Tierney built working relationships with a large network of industry contacts across the U.S., the U.K. and India. Recent projects include The Elevator Game and The Wild Man: Skunk Ape. IMDb
Ron Macbeth, Cinematographer. Ron was co-founder of IT Online, one of the first Internet casting websites, and Interface Productions in Vancouver, B.C. His credits include extensive camera work at Interface, including casting videography on such projects as X-Files, Jumanji and Free Willy 3: The Rescue. IMDb
Jonathan Geer, Composer. A native Texan, Jonathan broke into the world of documentaries with the original score for My Shanghai. His music has been heard widely on network TV and gaming soundtracks. A classically trained pianist with an eclectic taste and a degree in Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music, he lives in Austin and performs regularly with the Atlas Tango Project. IMDb
Michael ‘Gonzo’ Gandsey, Sound Re-Recording Mixer. Originally from Burbank, Michael grew up with the music and film industry in his back yard and has been working in professional sound since 1980. Among Michael’s many film and television credits are Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester, Far from Heaven, The Hunted; and The Revisionaries for Independent Lens, Buried Alive, National Geographic Explorer, Nova and The American Experience. IMDb
Vashi Nedomansky, Colorist. Born in Czechoslovakia, Vashi defected to North America with his parents at the age of five. After earning a degree in Film and Video studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, he played professional hockey for 10 years (like Dad) and began his career in the visual media (like Mom) in 2001. His credits include An American Carol for David Zucker (Airplane, Scary Movie), many short films and hundreds of commercials. IMDb
Heidi Zimmerman, Assistant Editor. Heidi is a picture editor with extensive post-production experience in narrative films, documentaries, commercials, and clip shows. Under the mentorship of Academy Award winning editor Pietro Scalia, Heidi cut her first feature documentary, 40 Years of Silence, about the 1965 mass killings in Indonesia. Since then, she has cut a wide range of independent feature projects including Alive and Kicking and Fish & Men. IMDb
My Shanghai: the Film 
My name is Sven Aarne Serrano. I am a history teacher at Shanghai High School International Division, the site of Lunghwa CAC. I give tours of the campus and the remaining 7 buildings from the camp period. We are most interested in seeing any footage and accounts of the camp. Please contact me if there is any way I can help with your project. We just had another survivor, Maureen de la Harpe, from Australia, visit us just yesterday.
Hi Sven,
So nice to hear from you. Even though the film is completed, I’m still very interested in learning more about the camp history. Regarding Maureen de la Harpe, I looked at my camp roster dated September, 1944, and found a Maureen Beare, age 7. It seems likely that this is the same person as she would still be young enough to make such a trip. I’m sure it brought back a flood of memories. As for the film, we are currently showing at festivals in the U.S. So far we have no plans to screen it abroad, but that could change. We will release it on DVD and VOD, probably in the near future, but that too is just in the planning stages. Thank you for contacting me, and I hope someday I will be able to visit Shanghai High School. – P.H. Wells
Hey Mr Serrano
I was looking into Soviet history (not relevant) and found your stuff re. Lunghua. My Mom,eldest uncle and aunt were there without their parents or younger brothers. All are still alive (not my grandparents obv. though both survived to the 1980s, grandad in Shanghai)though my aunt is a bit gaga and in a home. My Dad’s best friend there was Peter Wyngard the actor (sadly dead). I would love to be in contact before my Mom and Uncle go the way of my aunt (hopefully not) or die. My Mom was very angry with JG Ballard when his book came out because he had his parents there and other more racist stuff she implied from the book but she’s got over that. They are all Eurasian as was Wyngard – not Ballard obv.. I visited Shanghai when I lived in Hong Kong with my Uncle who was pro.vc HKU then but nowlives in Liverpool and found where they used to live in Shanghai- still had the lamp even but didn’t (want) to see the camp. It has lived with us all ever since and I have published about the legacy but not recorded Mom or Len’s memories. The memories of the numerous flights before Lunghua are nearly as poignant.
Hope you are still doing your excellent work and that this reaches you and you will be in touch.
Celia Barlow. Relatives in Lunghua Leonard, Muriel and Evelyn Young (all teenagers then)
Hello Sven – Some years have gone by since you commented here, and I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to let you know that “My Shanghai” is now available to watch on this website. It should be viewable anywhere without restriction, as far as I know. Please enjoy.
I am another ex-inmate of Longhua Camp. My parents and I were allocated a room in G Block on the opposite side of the front entrance. I was six when interned and 8 1/2 when released. In 2007 my wife and I together with our daughter visited G Block again and entered the very room in which we lived. I had a brief correspondence with Ballard soon after Empire of the Sun was published.
I may have some information of interest to you. And I would be interested to see any photographs from 1943-45 you may have.
John Phillips
Hi John,
It must have been a powerful experience to go back there. I’d love to hear more. If it’s all right, I’ll contact you at the email address you used to comment here. Very best —
P.H. Wells
I’ve set up a FB page for Lunghwa CAC which I invite everyone to visit, contribute to, and promote. Our student campus history club is also raising $3000 to fund production of an android/iphone guide app for the WWII sites remaining on our campus on the Indiegogo crowdfunding site.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lunghwa-Civilian-Assembly-Centre-at-SHSID/317758058415767?sk=info&tab=page_info§ion=official_page&view
http://igg.me/at/lunghwaCAC/x/4585502
That’s great to hear! I’ll have to check it out.
PHW
Would love to view your film. Is it downloadable/on sale?
Cat
Hi Cat,
It’s not currently available but should be soon. Thanks for asking!
PHW
My grandmother, Gloria Roberts, her parents, brother and cousin were all interned at Lunghwa, F block. My grandmother passed away five years ago, but I do carry many of her stories of this time in her life. She was 15 when interned, nearly 18 when released. I would love to view this film, and wish she could too. Will you be showing in Berkeley or San Francisco.
My grandmother shared that she could only bring a small trunk to camp with personal belongings. So she filled it with her record player and records. Every night, until curfew, they danced on the rooftops to the same old records.
Thank you for capturing this important part of history.
Hi Stacey,
Thanks for your note. I’m always glad to hear from the families of internees, and I hope “My Shanghai” connects all of you in some way. Regarding any plans to show it in the Bay Area, the short answer is no. I don’t have any theatrical dates scheduled, but you can see the film now as part of an onlne film festival, IndieFilm International. You would need to buy a pass (under $30) and could watch this and all the other films by streaming on your computer or TV. Here’s the link: http://filmfestivalflix.com/festival/2015-indie-fest-international/ . – PHW
Hello P.H. Wells,
Thank you for making the film! I would very much like to see it. Virginia’s stepfather, William Gande was my great grandfather. I will look for it on the filmfestivalflix.com. Is it still available there?
Thank you, Anne Marie
Hello, Anne Marie,
So sorry to have delayed my response. It’s wonderful to know you became aware of the film and that you’re related to Bill Gande. The film not on filmfestivalflix anymore (and barely was before), but I’m going to look into other options this year. Thanks for asking.
Please help, PH!
Desperately trying to reconnect with long lost friend, one time Soul Sister, Ginny Palmer and need you to assist by being a conduit. My daughter, Brooke, and I were very close to Eric Ginny, Greg, and (“Grandmother McCutcheon”) from Pasadena1980 until about 1991 when they moved to Aspen — Brooke was Eric’s closest fr for a time. Then, due to time and most awful exigencies, we lost touch. In last 3 days, Spirit has led me back to them in such incredible ways that it would be fodder for a whole ‘nother docudrama(mentory) for you and “Macbeth”! Don’t know how or why, but as I get closer to other “dimension” (my own shelf-life expiring) I have received the dubious gift of becoming a psychic/mediium. Additionally, my inherit intuitive, empath abilities are on steroids! Was tantalized late last night, when cruising around all “My Shanghai” links and landed on page where I thought I saw Ginny’s number flash. Thought I booked-marked page, but it has disappeared into “Ether” snatched by Cyber-Gremlins — Time is of the essence as Virginia, Eric and Lucky have been coming through and, as I am new at this, don’t know or understand dynamic fully. So, don’t know how long “portal will be open” although I shall try to retain “messages” although don’t think will be in relative “real time” — If you either don’t have, or don’t feel comfortable giving out either G or G’s direct numbers, I pray you will text/call them ASAP and have either of them reach out to me by text: 760-703-60xx or call to speak on my landline: 760-751-15xx. kackiecnm@aol.com,
Thank you in advance for any speedy assistance you are able to give!
Blessings, love and light,
Carolyn M_ _ _ _ _ (aka B_ _ _ _ _ 1966 – 2005) — Although divorced in ’81, soon after I connected with Palmers, they knew me by my married last name, which I kept for business, and also til my daughter was grown, by which they knew me.
PS Another source might be Barb Moursis, Ginny’s sister.