There's a Strong Wind in Beijing and more
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There's a Strong Wind in Beijing
1999. China. Directed by Ju Anqi. A gonzo camera crew roams the streets of China’s capital, asking random passersby, “Is the wind strong in Beijing?” This ambiguous question provokes a startling variety of responses that expose social and cultural anxieties within contemporary China. The film implicitly poses a larger question about the role of intrusiveness and spontaneity in both documentary filmmaking and everyday social interactions. Courtesy of Ju Anqi. In Mandarin; English subtitles. 50 min.
Railroad of Hope
2002. China. Directed by Ning Ying. Years before the hit 2009 documentary Last Train Home depicted the plight of China’s migrant population, Ning Ying joined a trainload of agricultural workers on a grueling three-day journey to China’s northwest frontier in search of better jobs. In contrast to Last Train Home’s self-effacing style, Ning foregrounds her own presence through her exchanges with fellow passengers, as they respond to her disarmingly direct questions about their lives, hopes, and dreams with heartbreaking candor. A fascinating study of how the documentary camera serves as both objective observer of and subjective confidant for its subjects. Courtesy of Documentary Educational Resources. In Mandarin, Sichuan dialect; English subtitles. 56 min.