You are here:

Up the Yangtze

Name: Up the Yangtze
Director: Yung Chang
Released: 2007
Duration: 93 min

Representation Score

7.9/10

Good

2007

Not Rated

Director

Yung Chang

Runtime

93 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Up the Yangtze is a compelling documentary that emphasizes the human cost of macroeconomic changes. By focusing on the Chinese working class, the film effectively highlights the impact of globalization on local identities and challenges traditional development narratives. The documentary stands out in its cultural and racial representation, providing a nuanced view of populations often sidelined in mainstream media. It goes beyond simple observation to address the systemic implications of rapid industrialization and state-led progress. However, the film does not delve deeply into LGBTQ+ identities or provide specific examples of characters with disabilities playing key roles in the story. While it acknowledges the physical toll of labor, these elements remain secondary to the broader socioeconomic themes.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Up the Yangtze have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not prominently feature LGBTQ+ narratives or explore non-cisgender identities. It focuses on the socioeconomic and environmental realities of the Yangtze River valley.

How does Up the Yangtze portray gender?

Fair

The documentary highlights the distinct experiences of both men and women in a changing labor market. It avoids typical domestic clichés by showcasing women dealing with economic complexities.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Up the Yangtze?

Excellent

The film excels by centering non-Western perspectives and the Chinese working class. This breaks away from the usual Western-centric viewpoint found in many global documentaries.

How does Up the Yangtze represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative examines the tension between economic growth and cultural preservation. It highlights how traditional ways of life are often compromised for national infrastructure projects.

Does Up the Yangtze include disability representation?

Fair

The film does not specifically focus on characters with disabilities. However, it touches upon the physical and mental strain of displacement and arduous labor.

Present on Screen

Centers non-Western, non-Anglo-Saxon perspectives through the Chinese working class.
Offers a profound critique of unregulated industrial capitalism and its environmental impacts.
Provides a nuanced portrayal of how economic transitions affect men and women differently.
Gives high ability to act to subjects navigating the consequences of the Three Gorges Dam.

Limited or Absent

Lacks prominent LGBTQ+ narratives or exploration of queer identities.
Does not include characters with visible or invisible disabilities driving the narrative.
Does not engage with non-cisgender identities.

Official Synopsis

At the edge of the Yangtze River, not far from the Three Gorges Dam, young men and women take up employment on a cruise ship, where they confront rising waters and a radically changing China.

How are these scores produced? →