Nanking 1937: The invasion of Japanese troops plunges the Chinese capital into chaos and ruin. A group of schoolgirls can reach the relatively safe walls of Winchester Cathedral, where the girls hide in the basement. The American John Miller also seeks refuge in the cathedral. 13 prostitutes from a nearby brothel also flee into the church. When the Japanese storm the house, the schoolgirls only escape the rape thanks to Miller's courageous intervention. Miller, who is initially only interested in the wine and money supplies of the convent, grows more and more into the role of protector. However, when the schoolgirls are assigned to "audition" for a Japanese party, only a ruse can save their lives. Instead of the girls, the prostitutes, disguised in school uniforms, go to certain death. Based on Yang Geling's novel "13 Flowers of Nanjing", the director brings a tragic chapter of Chinese history to the screen with the Nanking Massacre.