Bozhou, at the crossroad of Chinese medicinal plants |
Documentary film - 52 minutes |
What could a rural city in central China look like? Far away from the huge megalopolis of the industrialized eastern coast, but also different from the traditional vision of rural China?
|
1000km west of Shanghai, 1000km south of Beijing, in Anhui province, Bozhou. 1.5 million inhabitants, 3700 years of history. Home town of the biggest Chinese medicinal plant market.
|
At the turn of the 1980's, when China went through major economical reforms, Bozhou began to develop an activity that had long been rooted in the region. Medicinal plants and products represent 70% of the jobs, from the growing to the trading, treatment and prescription of the products. Two peasants -husband and wife- five salesmen and two doctors introduce us to their surprising city, letting us explore for 52 minutes an example of the recent dynamism of cities in central China.
|
Across the intertwined portraits of the film, we are lead to the keys of the market's success but also given an insight on the life and vision of our interviewees. |
|
This documentary film is Small Word association's first project, produced and directed by its three members, thanks to the support of public and private partners. |
After 8 months of writing and looking for funds, 3 weeks of field-work, 3 weeks of shooting and 6 months of post-production, the film was screened for the first time on April 28 2007 in Geneva. |
|
|
