Before the Flood II

The Chinese village of Gongtan is located on the Wu River, a tributary of the Yangtze, and it's more than 1,700 years old. But the construction of a hydroelectric power station will put Gongtan at the bottom of a reservoir, and the villagers are informed under no uncertain terms that they will have to leave. Just as he did with the village of Fengjie in his 2005 documentary Before the Flood, director Yu Yan documents the shock and desperation of the locals without commentary. A delegation from the regional Communist government is coming to explain that it's time to leave, but the villagers haven't received any offers of substitute housing. In the four years since the decision to build the power station was made, the regional government hasn't spoken with the villagers even once. And the people of Gongtan better not count on too much compassion these days; the economy comes first. The fact that these people's lives are deeply intertwined with this place, that it's all that they have, didn't play the smallest role in the decision. The villagers' disappointment is all the greater because they've always had faith in the state and the Communist Party. Up until now, that is. What can be done? When the delegation from the regional government finally shows up to answer some questions, people don't stick around to listen. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)