24 CITY is a fiction done documentary style – this approach taken quite often when a director wishes to get a message across more clearly.  This form fools the audience to believe that what takes place is true though it could be completely made up.  In 24 CITY, director Jia shoots fictitious interviews of people (one of which is portrayed by famous Asian actress Joan Chen) talking their reactions relating to an arms and aircraft factory (Factory 420 in the town of Chengdou) that has been torn down to make way for an apartment complex called 24 CITY. 

The film begins impressively with a huge gathering of the state-owned factory staff, which looks so much like the propaganda films the communist Chinese used to put out in the past.  Jia films in his familiar leisurely style, sometimes too slow, with his camera tracking his characters with lots of information revealed in the background.

Jia’s bias is evident in his portrait of a fond old China.  Nothing is mentioned on the new capitalist China or how China is now developing into one of the world’s most important economies.  One wonders at the validity of the views of Jia’s characters – like the old worker’s reminiscing of how a factory tool was used to its complete worthlessness.  No doubt cost saving material-wise but nevertheless very inefficient in terms of work usefulness.  The same can be said generally of Jia’s 24 CITY.  This is a film that takes great pains to make its point – but one gets what Jia has to say though one must admit that he repeats his message though in elegant ways.

This is a special screening:

Screening Information:
At the Jackman Hall:
Cinematheque Ontario

Friday, March 13 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 15 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 18 7:00 p.m.
For more information on prices
And venue:
http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca