J. P Sniadecki collected footage from 2011 to 2013 on China's humongous railway system, in order to present a film that uses everyday life inside the wagons to catch the essence of the modern Chinese society in the most realistic fashion.
"The Iron Ministry" will screen at Bertha DocHouse on Monday, 28 August at 16:00, as part of On The Line, (25th - 28th August) a new season focusing on films which traverse the railways of the world.
The documentary is actually split into two parts. The first one shows a number of "episodes" occurring inside the wagons, which range from some almost grotesque sequences of people cutting meet and relieving carcasses of their feathers, to fairly "regular", of individuals carrying huge bundles of merchandise to sell to their destination. This part is mostly silent, and has a distinct art-house feel, although the pace is faster than what is usual in such productions, as it seems to synchronize with the movement of the train.
The second part, on the other hand, features much dialogue, as Sniadecki listens to conversations taking place in the train, occasionally even taking part in them. The quite interesting discussions focus on a number of topics including religion, economy, Tibet and the coal moguls, the differences of the working environment in the country and the …show more content…
The cinematography is impressive, capturing the different sequences that occur in the train with a combination of artistry and realism, while the various images of the outside are among the most memorable images of the documentary, in a trait that finds its apogee in the one featuring the Beijing apartments in their polluted
"The Iron Ministry" will screen at Bertha DocHouse on Monday, 28 August at 16:00, as part of On The Line, (25th - 28th August) a new season focusing on films which traverse the railways of the world.
The documentary is actually split into two parts. The first one shows a number of "episodes" occurring inside the wagons, which range from some almost grotesque sequences of people cutting meet and relieving carcasses of their feathers, to fairly "regular", of individuals carrying huge bundles of merchandise to sell to their destination. This part is mostly silent, and has a distinct art-house feel, although the pace is faster than what is usual in such productions, as it seems to synchronize with the movement of the train.
The second part, on the other hand, features much dialogue, as Sniadecki listens to conversations taking place in the train, occasionally even taking part in them. The quite interesting discussions focus on a number of topics including religion, economy, Tibet and the coal moguls, the differences of the working environment in the country and the …show more content…
The cinematography is impressive, capturing the different sequences that occur in the train with a combination of artistry and realism, while the various images of the outside are among the most memorable images of the documentary, in a trait that finds its apogee in the one featuring the Beijing apartments in their polluted