Synopsis

Once an imperial capital, decades of rampant coal mining have choked the Chinese city of Datong in soot, depleted its resources and stagnated the economy. The mayor, Geng Yanbo, embarks on a radical mission to restore the ancient city and rejuvenate it through culture. To succeed, he must execute mass-scale demolition. Some call him the devil mayor, but Geng is too bent on his utopian vision to care. Meanwhile, China’s ruling elites are watching him closely.

Details

(59mins) | China

Language:

Chinese, with English subtitles

Production

Directors:

Zhou Hao

Born in 1968, Zhou Hao started his career as a photographer for China's national news group, Xinhua News Agency. His previous, award-winning documentaries include Hou Jie Township (2001), Senior Year (2006), and Using (2008).