Empire of the Sun Subtitled VHS Video Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese War. A boy who grew up in the British Concession is separated from his parents when the Japanese army occupies the Shanghai Concession and is sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. Surrounded by the fear of war, death, and despair, he struggles and fights to survive. "Empire of the Sun" (Taiyou no Teikoku, English: Empire of the Sun) is a semi-autobiographical novel by British novelist J.G. Ballard, based on his experiences. It was made into a film by Steven Spielberg and released in 1987. It depicts the growth of a British boy living in Shanghai, Republic of China, during the Sino-Japanese War. Directed by: Steven Spielberg Screenplay by: Tom Stoppard Produced by: Steven Spielberg Kathleen Kennedy Frank Marshall Executive Produced by: Robert Shapiro Starring: Christian Bale Music by: John Williams Cinematography by: Allen Daviau Edited by: Michael Kahn Distributed by: Warner Bros. Release Date: United States: December 11, 1987 Japan: April 29, 1988 Running time: 151 minutes