China’s documentary scene has grown rapidly over the past two decades. These films present authentic and compelling glimpses into the nation’s society, traditions, and transformations. Whether focusing on rural life, historical events, or social changes, Chinese documentaries offer an unparalleled view of reality. With increasing global recognition, these films are now essential viewing for any cinephile or cultural explorer.
In this list, we explore 32 Chinese documentaries across various movie genres. From poetic rural storytelling to investigative social commentary, this guide provides context, themes, and why each film is worth your attention. Discover China through these powerful lenses.
1. The Road
Directed by Zhang Zanbo, The Road chronicles the construction of a highway in Hunan Province. More than an infrastructure project, it becomes a symbol of China’s development struggles. Through the eyes of workers, villagers, and officials, the film critiques corruption and the environmental toll of progress.
Its cinéma vérité style makes the footage raw and unfiltered, offering a deeply human angle often absent from mainstream coverage of China’s modernization.
2. Up the Yangtze
Yung Chang’s poignant documentary explores the impact of the Three Gorges Dam on rural families living along the Yangtze River. As water levels rise, homes are submerged and communities are displaced.
The film follows two teenagers working on a cruise ship, navigating the waters of both the river and economic change. A profound metaphor for old and new China clashing beneath the surface.
3. Last Train Home
Directed by Lixin Fan, this documentary captures the world’s largest human migration: Chinese workers returning home during the Lunar New Year. It follows a family torn between urban employment and rural roots.
The film’s emotional depth and social resonance earned critical acclaim and helped shape international movie reviews of Chinese cinema. A must-watch for understanding China’s labor landscape.
4. Karamay
Xu Xin’s haunting film revisits the tragic 1994 fire in Karamay, Xinjiang, where hundreds of schoolchildren perished. The documentary features extended testimonies from parents, survivors, and officials, painting a portrait of bureaucracy, injustice, and grief.
At nearly six hours long, it demands emotional investment but offers a powerful narrative rarely allowed to be told publicly in China.
5. Born in Beijing
This lesser-known gem follows the daily lives of children from different socioeconomic backgrounds in the capital. From international schools to underprivileged neighborhoods, it highlights educational disparity and modern pressures.
While simple in presentation, its insight into youth culture makes it a valuable addition to any film lover’s watchlist.
6. Disorder
By Huang Weikai, this film stitches together amateur footage of chaos in urban China—floods, accidents, protests. It lacks a single narrative but reflects a broader societal disarray.
Its collage style challenges the viewer and redefines what a documentary can be, especially in a Chinese context.
7. Dream Walking
Focusing on independent artists in Beijing, this film documents their dreams, struggles, and expressions amid censorship and capitalism. It’s an exploration of China’s creative undercurrents.
For those interested in the intersection of art and politics, this documentary provides a revealing portrait of urban subcultures.
8. Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks
Wang Bing’s monumental 9-hour epic covers the decline of the Tiexi industrial district in northeast China. Split into three parts, it examines the lives of factory workers, families, and youths in decaying environments.
This film is a raw and poetic depiction of economic decay, placing Wang Bing among the top voices in the film industry.
9. Petition
Zhao Liang follows citizens who travel to Beijing to file petitions against local injustices. They wait for years near the government’s petition office, often ignored or harassed.
Shot over more than a decade, it exposes systemic neglect and the quiet resistance of ordinary people.
10. The Ditch
Though presented with narrative elements, this semi-documentary film details the horrors of labor camps during Mao’s Anti-Rightist Movement. It focuses on starvation, struggle, and political persecution.
Its harrowing realism stems from real testimonies and archival research, making it a vital historical document.
11. Beijing Besieged by Waste
Directed by Wang Jiuliang, this environmental documentary highlights landfills surrounding Beijing. Through drone shots and interviews with waste pickers, the film criticizes urban consumption and neglect.
It helped trigger public debate and government reform in waste management.
12. San Yuan Li
This short film explores a historic village swallowed by Guangzhou’s skyscrapers. Mixing traditional sounds with modern visuals, it questions identity, culture, and memory.
A cinematic poem on urbanization and loss of roots.
13. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
While partially Western-made, this documentary about dissident artist Ai Weiwei is crucial. It traces his activism, art, and confrontations with Chinese authorities.
More than a biography, it’s a story of courage and the power of expression under pressure.
14. Children at a Village School
This gentle film follows a teacher and his students in rural Yunnan. It reveals the joys and struggles of remote education, far from the spotlight of urban China.
With simplicity and sincerity, it celebrates dedication and learning against the odds.
15. China Heavyweight
A boxing coach in rural China trains teenagers hoping to escape poverty through sports. Directed by Yung Chang, this documentary balances personal growth with systemic critique.
Sports become a lens for viewing ambition, discipline, and social change.
16. Hooligan Sparrow
Filmmaker Nanfu Wang shadows activist Ye Haiyan as she campaigns against sexual abuse in schools. The film shows her constant surveillance, harassment, and bravery.
Raw, immediate, and deeply moving, it’s a vital portrait of resistance.
17. Bumming in Beijing
Shot in the 1990s, this early work by Wu Wenguang captures five young artists surviving in a transforming city. It’s a nostalgic look at pre-Olympic Beijing and youthful hope.
It marked the birth of Chinese independent documentary cinema.
18. The Chinese Mayor
Filmmaker Zhou Hao documents Mayor Geng Yanbo’s controversial urban redevelopment in Datong. As he relocates thousands of residents to build a tourism-friendly city, the film questions progress and ethics.
A rare look into government decision-making, ambition, and public impact.
19. Small Town, Big World
Set in a village that has opened to global tourism, this film explores cultural clash and adaptation. Locals adopt Western customs to entertain guests, raising questions about authenticity.
Visually rich and socially relevant.
20. Meishi Street
Activists document the destruction of their neighborhood before the 2008 Olympics. Through grassroots footage, it’s a defiant act against erasure.
The film celebrates agency and collective memory.
21. Iron Moon
Focusing on worker-poets in China’s factories, this documentary captures pain, creativity, and the human spirit. Poetry becomes a survival tool amid monotony.
Both beautiful and heartbreaking.
22. A Young Patriot
A teenager waves the Chinese flag proudly, but as he grows and faces reality, his views evolve. This coming-of-age tale explores nationalism and disillusionment.
Insightful and timely in today’s sociopolitical climate.
23. Plastic China
A child lives among discarded plastics in a recycling village. Through her eyes, we witness poverty, environmental decay, and innocence.
The film sparked international discussions on waste trade.
24. High Tech, Low Life
Two citizen journalists challenge censorship by covering untold stories. Their journey highlights freedom of speech and digital resistance.
A tech-age rebellion captured in real time.
25. Education, Education
This documentary investigates China’s exam-focused system and its mental toll. Following students, tutors, and parents, it questions values and priorities.
An important reflection on modern pressures.
26. Wu Wenguang’s Memory Project
A series of short films collecting personal histories of the Great Famine. Young filmmakers return to their villages to capture elders’ forgotten voices.
Decentralized yet deeply personal storytelling.
27. Under the Dome
Chai Jing’s viral documentary on China’s pollution crisis made headlines. With visuals, data, and personal stories, it awakened public awareness.
Banned shortly after release, it remains impactful.
28. 1428
Du Haibin documents the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Instead of focusing on destruction, he reveals the resilience and sorrow of survivors.
A moving meditation on disaster and humanity.
29. River Elegy
A controversial 1988 series that critiqued Chinese tradition and called for modernization. It was influential and widely debated before being banned.
Historically significant in both content and censorship.
30. Behemoth
Zhao Liang’s poetic documentary compares coal mining in Inner Mongolia to Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” With haunting visuals, it critiques capitalism and environmental ruin.
Artful and devastating.
31. My Voice, My Life
Following underprivileged Hong Kong youth as they prepare for a musical, this film is about hope, self-expression, and resilience.
Inspirational and emotionally rich.
32. The Gate of Heavenly Peace
This documentary analyzes the Tiananmen Square protests with historical depth and interviews. It avoids simple conclusions, offering a complex view of idealism and tragedy.
Essential for understanding China’s modern political narrative.
Conclusion
These 32 documentaries offer more than just stories—they are windows into a vast and evolving society. Each film gives voice to the marginalized, critiques systems, or celebrates resilience. As the film industry continues to evolve, documentaries remain a crucial counterbalance to commercial storytelling.
Whether you’re drawn to movie characters shaped by real life or searching for social truths, these films invite deeper reflection and connection. Watch them not just to see China—but to understand it.
