Up The Yangtze Yung Chang
2008 Appeared in the journal Sequences
Flooding cultural
In Amsterdam, Sundance and Thessaloniki, people have long applauded Up the Yangtze , 2nd gifted Yung Chang's documentary, a Canadian of Chinese descent who have opted for the climate of Quebec production despite a strong foundation in New York. Flattering comparisons of this odyssey into the belly of Chinese modernity with Gosford Park and Hearts of Darkness somewhat reduces the scope of work under safe and welcome the ambition in the new production documentary focused on Quebec the world.
If the Nile pyramids and the Aswan High Dam, the Yangtze (literally 'blue river'), which traverses over 6000 km in China, now has a dam at the confluence of the Three Gorges project if Pharaonic is one. Taken with a serious drinking water problem, 50 million Chinese still rely on the resources of the third largest river in the world to preserve the culture of wheat, cotton and rice, which gives life to the surrounding areas.
The industrial project of this dam has become both subject of fantasy and disbelief from his earliest sketches in the 1920 - Canadians were also made contributions 60 years later after the Chinese authorities had rejected the pessimistic assumptions of U.S. experts, until it starts in 1993 - it must end in 2009.
The price of modernity, however, became very high for local populations, and many environmentalists have decried the impact of flood waters, flooding more important than before because of the frequent earthquakes in the region, but especially the irreversible sinking of a fertile area where 40% are grown agricultural products in the country. Beyond disaster Ecological apprehended, the most immediate problem remains the expropriation of the inhabitants of entire villages, which will be destroyed by the waves and take with them the memories of several generations, artifacts and a real piece of country.
Yung Chang has spent four years to complete his research after determining a trip in 2002 with his family in the region, hoping to rescue some testimonials from the 200 million Chinese have to rebuild their lives in the name of progress who cares little for them.
Born in Canada, Chang has rocked up in the illusion of their lives the old echo alluring country of his parents, two interviews, the object of his fascination will instead, to his surprise, on a luxury cruise boat up the Yangtze to the dam with on board foreign tourists, including many Canadians eager expatriation without wanting to mingle with the locals. If the contrast between the charming company of the West and the drama is playing open first strikes the imagination, another cultural relationship needed more discreetly in the service areas of the boat, where many children deported families to employment the shipping company learn courtesies of their net worth and thus remain a little longer captives of a corridor in which all naval misfortunes seem hell-bent on spilling.
While the majesty of the scenery Up the Yangtze naturally called excess, the Werner Herzog in itself, Yung Chang will not try to climb up the cruise over the Three Gorges Dam, perfectly aware that the jewel of his expedition in these sparkling panoramic gaze transfixed a situation whose absurdity is beyond comprehension. As the camera Shi Qing Wang keeps a respectful distance from the peasants disoriented, tearful, in the tall grass along the river as in kitchens circus sea, strong characters quickly emerge from the socio-technology stock, including Jerry Bo Yu Chen , unique symbol of boys without fear or reproach wanting westernized as quickly as possible, and Yu, one of millions of families suffering the collateral damage of the new hydraulic pride of the Chinese authorities.
Beyond its obvious qualities, Up the Yangtze exacerbates the niche that is currently developing the Anglophile EyeSteelFilm box in the documentary ( "SPIT" "Chairman George" ) and the short film in Quebec ( "The Colony" ).
© 2008 Charles-Stéphane Roy
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