My friend David mentioned the documentary, Up the Yangtze, in passing a couple of weeks ago because he knew that I had a bit of a thing for the Yangtze River. By then, I had already missed the screenings in NYC. Since I knew I was going to be in Pittsburgh over Labor Day weekend, I made plans to see it there. Wow, am I glad I did.
It's an amazing film that follows the life of a 15 year old girl. Her family lives on the banks of the river in a shack, which will soon be flooded. Her parents, unable to provide for her schooling, sends her to work on one of the luxury cruise ships on the Yangtze. It's an amazing view into her life, the changes that occur through the course of the film and an insight into the lives of the people directly affected. I loved the opening scene where the ships are rising in the locks and passing through, a great metaphor for the movie. Go see it if it's playing near you.
(photo taken by me in 2006. Sinking Down, Gezouba, Yichang, China)
No comments:
Post a Comment