Chung Kuo-Cina(1972)

Chung Kuo-Cina is a landmark documentary that captures China in the 1970s through the faces and daily lives of its people. Filmed across regions the crew was permitted to visit, this three-part, 220-minute work offers a rare window into the nation during that era. The first section explores Beijing, documenting a cotton factory, historic neighborhoods, and a clinic performing Caesarean surgery via acupuncture. Part two travels to the Red Flag canal and a collective farm in Henan, then to the classical city of Suzhou. The final segment showcases Shanghai's port and industrial landscape before concluding with a mesmerizing performance by Chinese acrobats. Rather than political commentary, the film emphasizes human faces and ordinary moments, creating an intimate portrait of Chinese society at a pivotal moment in its history.