In China, it is simply known as The River. But the Yangtze and all of the life that surrounds it is undergoing a truly astonishing transformation wrought by the largest hydroelectric project in history, the Three Gorges Dam. Canadian documentary filmmaker Yung Chang returns to the gorgeous, now-disappearing landscape of his grandfather s youth to trace the surreal life of a farewell cruise that traverses the gargantuan waterway. With Altmanesque narrative agility, a humanist gaze and wry wit, Chang s Upstairs Downstairs approach beautifully captures the microcosmic society of the luxury liner. Below deck: A bewildered young girl trains as a dishwasher sent to work by her peasant family, who is on the verge of relocation from the encroaching floodwaters. Above deck: A phalanx of wealthy international tourists set sail to catch a last glance of a country in dramatic flux. The teenaged employees who serve and entertain them now tagged with new Westernized names like Cindy and Jerry
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Posted: 5/9/2008
