UNBROKEN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF SHEN YUN
GROUNDBREAKING BEHIND-THE-SCENES FILM RELEASED WORLDWIDE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND, WITH NYC RED CARPET PREMIERE AT AMC LINCOLN 13
The 2026 Season Celebrates 20 Years of Bringing Culture to the Stage, as The Documentary Explores How Art, Faith, and Truth Endure and Thrive When Tested by Political Pressure, Personal Hardship, and a Global Disinformation Campaign Pushed by the CCP, Raising Questions of Free Expression, Religious Liberty and Foreign Pressure on American Soil.
New York, NY (April, 2026) – Director Fiona Young obtained exclusive behind-the-scenes access to an American family, touring with the world-renowned classical dance company Shen Yun, during training and on tour, across the globe. Her film, UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun UnbrokenShenYunMovie.com, which released worldwide on March 24, is the first-ever documentary about the global phenomenon Shen Yun Performing Arts, in its 20th year, renowned for the usual spectacle of breathtaking choreography, vibrant costumes, and grand stages.
Yet the story behind this gripping and emotionally charged documentary, which masterfully blends personal storytelling with investigative reporting, follows the unknown journey of Shen Yun, as it faces a global storm of propaganda, persecution, and political sabotage from the CCP, reaching into the United States and raising broader questions about free expression, religious liberty and foreign pressure on American soil.
UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun is a human story about perseverance, resilience, and triumph. The performers wanted to revive a culture that had been destroyed and expose the tyranny of the CCP, but do so in the safety of Western democracies. Instead, they found themselves under pressure, facing propaganda, and being targeted for silence even in the U.S. It is a story of young performers who risk everything to preserve truth, faith, and tradition — and in doing so, reveal how strong the human spirit can be under fire. Through the eyes of two brothers and their fellow performers, the film traces an unlikely journey—from ordinary American childhoods to the world’s most prestigious stages—where rigorous artistic training and cultural conviction shape both their craft and their character.
The story of Shen Yun is perhaps the clearest, and most detailed, documented case of Beijing trying to take down an American institution. Shen Yun’s lived experience and resilience is a warning for all American citizens and lawmakers of what could happen to any individual or group in America. UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun explores how a foreign superpower weaponized American media and got away with it. It shows that the CCP’s Culture War is in New York, D.C., and any U.S. city they choose. Americans are ever more concerned about China’s threats reaching Americans on American soil.
“What surprised us most was how complex and coordinated the pressure appeared to be. Rather than speculate, the documentary carefully lays out the facts and lets viewers see the pattern unfold,” said Steve Lance, Executive Producer, Sincere Pictures.
UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun, produced by Sincere Pictures, was initially released worldwide by NTD on NTD.com, the NTD YouTube Channel (1.44 million subscribers), and Gan Jing World streaming platform GJW+, through the end of Shen Yun’s New York performances, announced Steve Lance, Executive Producer, Sincere Pictures. The documentary will then also be released on the major streaming/VOD platforms in Spring 2026 by a distributor to be announced at a later date.
UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun, produced by Sincere Pictures, was initially released worldwide by NTD on NTD.com, the NTD YouTube Channel (1.44 million subscribers), and Gan Jing World streaming platform GJW+, through the end of Shen Yun’s New York performances, announced Steve Lance, Executive Producer, Sincere Pictures. The documentary will then also be released on the major streaming/VOD platforms in Spring 2026 by a distributor to be announced at a later date.
“We felt strongly that this story belongs to the public. When art, freedom, and truth are being challenged, the most important thing you can do is make sure people can see the full picture,” said Lance.To launch the groundbreaking film, the Shen Yun performers and principals, the filmmakers, executives and notable guests appeared at a special Red-Carpet NYC Premiere of UNBROKEN: The Untold Story of Shen Yun at AMC Lincoln 13, coinciding with the launch of the 20th Anniversary season of Shen Yun at Lincoln Center in NYC. The Premiere event was highlighted by a panel moderated by Mr. Steve Lance. Scheduled panelists include Mr. Leeshai Lemish, Emcee, Shen Yun Performing Arts, Mr. Piotr Huang, Shen Yun principal dancer, teacher, Ms. Lilian Parker, American Canadian dancer, and Mr. Levi Browde, Father of two Shen Yun dancers.
UNBROKEN reveals what happens when art, faith, and freedom defy authoritarian power—and how resilience, community, and cultural revival endure in the face of intimidation.
In 2006, when their faith was violently persecuted across China, this small group of artists who started Shen Yun in the U.S. to revive their culture and expose the tyranny of communist China, amid the darkness, share this compelling story of light, of resilience, of culture reclaimed, of performers who dance not only with their bodies—but with their conscience.
“Twenty years ago, Shen Yun was started by a small group of volunteers who shared a common vision—to revive the beauty and spiritual depth of traditional Chinese culture and expose the tyranny of the CCP to the world. Seeing that vision flourish on the world’s greatest stages is deeply moving. This documentary captures not only the artistry, but also the perseverance that made it possible,” said Ms. Ying Chen, Vice President, Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The insightful film explores how art, faith and truth endure and thrive when tested by political pressure, personal hardship, and a global disinformation campaign pushed by the CCP. When artists risk everything to preserve truth, faith, and tradition, it proves that the human spirit is unbreakable.
“When the curtain rises, and you hear the audience gasp, you feel something extraordinary. You realize that people from completely different cultures are connecting with the same story. That’s the magic of Shen Yun,” said Piotr Huang, Principal Dancer, Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Practically every major city across the globe sees the ubiquitous Shen Yun posters every year, like clockwork, announcing that year’s upcoming tour. With eight touring companies, each with over thirty performers and thirty musicians, the performances are sold out months in advance in Paris and other world capitals. Over one million people see the worldwide phenomenon annually, and a brand-new show is produced every year.
