Inside Red China (1958): cast, story & where to watch
1958 · Film · ★ 8
Released in 1958, Inside Red China is a documentary film directed by Rudall Hayward, running about 28 minutes.
What it’s about. October 1st, 1957. Dusk descends on Tiananmen Square, Peking. Fireworks crackle light across the night sky, above a city alive with National Day festivities and celebrations. Two intrepid New Zealand film-makers - Rudall and Ramai Te Miha Hayward - are there, documenting the life and times of communist China. The distinction of being the first English speaking foreigners to film unfettered in communist China was significant. The invitation to visit China was facilitated through the New Zealand China Friendship Society. They filmed in Canton, Shanghai, Peking (Beijing) and Wuhan. It was a small window of opportunity for Westerners to gaze on a country that was largely a mystery to the outside world since 1949. The unfortunate irony was that two of the documentaries; “Wonders of China”, and “Inside Red China”, were considered to be communist propaganda, and were not distributed outside of New Zealand.
Who’s in it. Inside Red China stars Ramai Hayward as Self and Mao Zedong as Self.
How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, Inside Red China sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Inside Red China page.
If you liked it. Fans of Inside Red China tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Inside Red China (1958)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Inside Red China change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Inside Red China worth watching?
- Inside Red China holds an audience score of 8.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy documentary. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Inside Red China?
- Inside Red China stars Ramai Hayward and Mao Zedong.
- When was Inside Red China released?
- Inside Red China was released in 1958, with a runtime of about 28 minutes.