Wu Wenguang: China Village Self-Governance Film Project January 29, 2007

When China’s central government allowed local elections to proceed in 2005, Wu Wenguang, one of the main exponents of the Beijing-based "New Documentary Movement," offered villagers in remote areas of the country DV cameras and technical training so that they could document this historic event. From housewives to peasants young and old, the newly empowered villagers tell stories that are intimate, earnest, revelatory -- and uncensored. Shifting between documentary and news exposé, these vivid accounts range from "A Futile Election" in Shaanxi to a housewife observing the everyday life of her community, from a property dispute over a quarry field to the impact of governmental decisions on the livelihood of Yunnan farmers.

Official Website: http://redcat.org/season/0607/fv/wu.php