A growing source of silent era film information. This listing is from The Progressive Silent Film List by Carl Bennett. Copyright © 1999-2025 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Returning to China
(1903) United States of America
B&W : Short film
Directed by [?] G.W. Bitzer?

Cast: (unknown)

American Mutoscope & Biograph Company production; distributed by American Mutoscope & Biograph Company. / Cinematography by G.W. Bitzer. / © 2 July 1903 by American Mutoscope & Biograph Company [H33208]. / [?] Mutoscope 68mm spherical 1.36:1 format? / The production was shot on 19 October 1899 on a ship dock in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, of Chinese boarding the ship ‘Empress of India.’

Documentary.

Synopsis: [From Biograph promotional materials] Taken at the terminal of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, showing a large number of Chinamen who have made their fortunes in America, starting on the return trip across the Pacific. They carry their possessions in large bundles, and together form a very odd company.

Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive (paper print collection) [35mm paper positive].

Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].

Keywords: Asians - Canada: British Columbia: Vancouver - Chinese - Pacific Northwest

Listing updated: 4 January 2025.

References: Niver-Early p. 273 : Website-IMDb.