Movies
As someone with a warm interest in Chinese cinema and a good idea of which films are released in (or being funded by) the West, Wang Bing's documentary was a tough watch. I don't doubt the film's validity, but it showcases exactly how the West wants China to be portrayed. A film in which people are poor and live in dire circumstances. And I'm sure it's the case for the people featured here, but you cannot watch this while ignoring the broader picture.
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As for the documentary itself, 9 hours is ridiculous. The cinematic qualities are limited, and the tone is very repetitive. I wasn't really interested in the personal stories, though I did appreciate the rundown industrial vibe of the city and its factories. But that's hardly enough to warrant the runtime (I watched it in three settings, for reference). Fine if you watch this for the misery/poverty porn, and fine if you consider this a counterbalance for China's soft power push, as long as you are well aware of what exactly you are watching here.