24 City
dir. Jia Zhangke · 2008
Plot
Change and a city in China. In Chengdu, factory 420 is being pulled down to make way for multi-story buildings with luxury flats. Scenes of factory operations, of the workforce, and of buildings stripped bare and then razed, are inter-cut with workers who were born in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s telling their stories - about the factory, which manufactured military aircraft, and about their work and their lives. A middle-aged man visits his mentor, now elderly; a woman talks of being a 19-year-old beauty there and ending up alone. The film concludes with two young people talking, each the child of workers, each relaying a story of one visit to a factory. Times change.
Why watch
"24 City" is a poignant exploration of memory and loss, where the stories of factory workers intertwine with the relentless march of urban development. Through a meditative lens, Jia Zhangke captures the bittersweet essence of a changing China, inviting viewers to reflect on the personal costs of progress.
Talking points
- the impact of modernization on traditional industries
- the intersection of personal and collective memory
- the role of nostalgia in shaping identity
- the socio-economic implications of urban development