A chilling X-ray of Chinese society, which prioritizes productivity and innovation above all else. Nominated for Best Documentary at the Oscars, the Independent Spirit Awards, the Gotham Awards and the Directors Guild and two-times winner at Tribeca, Jessica Kingdon’s film works as a showcase. Without any judgments or personalized interviews, Ascension shows the day-to-day life of the overpopulated country from a dehumanized and mechanized perspective, paradoxically. Inflatable sex doll factories that become real plastic dumps, brainwashing congresses to learn how to behave like a “worthy” lady, an obsessive idealization of “movie-like” Western life… Ascension is terrifying and merciless. A surreal, yet incisive look at modern China.
Year: 2021
Runtime: 97′
Country: USA
Direction: Jessica Kingdon
Cinematography: Jessica Kingdon, Nathan Truesdell
Genre: Documentary
Subtitles: Olga Gómez Balduz
Contact: Visit Films
2022: Oscar Awards – nominated for best documentary
2022: Independent Spirit Awards- nominated for best documentary
2021: Festival de Tribeca – Documentary Director Award