Petition (long version)

Petition (long version)

2009. China. Directed by Zhao Liang. Filmed over the course of 12 years, Zhao Liang’s landmark documentary explores the world of petitioners who travel to Beijing to seek justice back in their hometowns. Zhao uses secret cameras to capture a bureaucracy that leaves people waiting for years for their cases to be heard. The film takes a startling, self-reflexive turn when Zhao becomes entangled in a heartbreaking tragedy that unfolds between a petitioner and her daughter, and the result is a stirring achievement in both journalistic dedication and documentary ethics. This five-hour-long version captures in greater detail and complexity the stories of the many petitioners who seek justice. Courtesy of Zhao Liang. 15 minute intermission after Part 2. In Mandarin; English subtitles. 313 min.