Wang Bing’s Top 10: Unveiling the beauty and the sorrow of China

Upon graduating from art college in 1995, Wang Bing embarked on his documentary filmmaking journey in 1999. In speaking to the uncompromising voice on present-day Chinese cinema, he described this as “a fortuitous turn” after which he dedicated almost four years to completing the epic nine-hour film Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks. Employing observational techniques, the film meticulously captures the conditions of factories and the laborers' work environment. The documentary film garnered acclaim at numerous international film festivals and became part of documentary history.

During this pivotal period, the emergence of DV (Digital Video Camera) technology played a crucial role. For Wang Bing, DV represented “a liberating medium, that allowed for a closer connection to oneself and others, capturing a sense of time from reality and extending one's personal feelings towards life.” The result of this shift in technology is, according to Wang Bing, an important era in Chinese documentary film history—where accessible technology spurred independent filmmaking and offered unprecedented insight into everyday China.

As IDFA’s Guest of Honor this time around, it's customary to curate a list of his Top 10 films. In the past, the selections usually spanned works from around the world. However, this time Wang Bing exclusively chose Chinese documentary films. He explains, "independent documentary filmmaking in China has been developing for over 20 years. I aim to present it as a special retrospective, spotlighting Chinese independent documentary filmmakers. That's why I chose not to include international works." With the Top 10 selection, Wang Bing invites audiences into this era of independent Chinese documentary.

The earliest work on his list is the 1999 classic Old Men by Lina Yang. She utilized the groundbreaking Panasonic DV AG-EZ1 camera with 3CCD technology, capable of capturing colors that mirror reality much better than previous cameras at the time. The film employs an observational perspective, long-term shooting, and intimate companionship to present the lives of elderly residents in Beijing, delving into their memories, life experiences, and reflections on mortality. 

Wang Bing believes that Old Men “possesses an entirely spontaneous cinematic language, markedly different from mainstream documentary films. It allows for the cinema to return to the personal, representing the emergence of a new cinematic language.” 

“Similarly, Weijun Chen , previously entrenched in the realm of TV channels, broke away from the standardized shooting style and thematic constraints of television systems. Armed with DV, he spent one year filming in a village catastrophically affected by AIDS in Henan, culminating in To Live Is Better Than to Die in 2003.” The film found acclaim at multiple international film festivals. It portrays a family member afflicted with AIDS who still holds aspirations for life, prompting reflection on the meaning of life.

“DV technology facilitated easier and more accessible filmmaking,” Wang Bing observes “Through the directors' sustained dedication and trust established with the primary subjects, numerous profound issues could be captured through documentation, revealing the meanings and their significance.” Many works on this list adopt this approach.

Yifan Li and Yu Yan's Before the Flood documents the construction of the world's largest dam. Many villages and natural landscapes are on the brink of submersion, and thousands of villagers face forced exile. Similarly, within the same dam project, Yan Feng 's Bing’ai describes a rural woman who staunchly resists relocation, sacrificing everything for her family and defending her dignity. Both of these films took several years to finish.

Additionally, Liang Zhao's Petition commenced filming in 1996 and, spanning twelve years, documented petitioners who journeyed to Beijing. Amidst interminable waiting and gradually losing contact with family and friends in their hometowns, they find themselves in a peculiar and disconcerting predicament. Li Ma's Born in Beijing, which took years to finalize, delves into the same subject. The title takes its inspiration from a woman named Jing Sheng (meaning Born in Beijing), who was born while her mother was en route to Beijing to petition for the first time. In the film, she is already 33 years old. The director immerses himself in the petitioner village, engaging in dialogues with petitioners from all corners of China, attentively listening to their innermost stories.

Wang Bing emphasizes, ''long-term filming can be seen as a hallmark of Chinese independent documentary films during this period. However, a film's quality is not determined by the duration of filming, but rather by the completeness of the film. These filmmakers rely on their unwavering commitment to bring their works to fruition.''

Titles like Tong Xu's Wheat Harvest, Dan Ji's When the Bough Breaks, Jian Fan's The Next Life, and Lixin Fan's Last Train Home all narrate the stories of China's underprivileged—encompassing sex workers, scavengers, earthquake survivors, and migrant farmers and workers. These works confront ethical dilemmas and challenge mainstream society, garnering attention and fostering discussions both domestically and internationally, thus earning their place as representative selections.

In speaking on the subject, Wang Bing reflects on the fact that ''beyond this Top 10 compilation, there are still many outstanding works,'' each revealing both the beauty and the sorrow of China.

Wang Bing explains that because he is somewhat removed from the filmmaking community, his filmmaking is not influenced by others. He mostly watched these works through indie film festivals or underground way, particularly after 2003 when the Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks was finished.

In recent years, as censorship within China has grown increasingly stringent and severe, many film festivals and platforms for showing independent documentary films have been killed. It's now more challenging to screen independent documentary films than to make them. This cruel situation represents a significant loss for audiences.

Reviewing this list also serves as a reflection on the golden age of Chinese independent documentary films (1999-2011). Wang Bing asserts, "This documentary movement represents something China has never experienced in the realm of art and culture, especially concerning documentary films. The current situation is the reality you have to face—which is misfortune. On the other hand, despite the many limitations, there are still so many excellent works and so many filmmakers tirelessly devoted to filmmaking. This is also a kind of fortune."

In presenting this carefully curated selection, Wang Bing "aspires to offer audiences a comprehensive understanding of Chinese independent documentary films through the influential platform provided by IDFA. This Top 10 selection actually transcends personal preference, functioning more as a retrospective and a salute to the era."

View Wang Bing's complete Top 10 selection here.

View the selected films in the Retrospective: Wang Bing here.

This article was published in IDFA 2023 Notes on a festival.