Filmed between 1996 and 2008, Zhao Liang’s magnum opus follows those who, having suffered abuses at the hands of local governments, travel to Beijing to petition the court of complaints. Forced to wait indefinitely for an official hearing, many end up living in a nearby shantytown known as ‘Petition Village’. Hopeless, lonely and far from home, the petitioners must endure dire living conditions and threats from hired thugs in their seemingly endless search for justice. A modern classic of Chinese documentary, Petition is an unflinching depiction of the powerlessness of individuals in the face of the cruel indifference of the state.

Followed by a Q&A with director Zhao Liang, hosted by filmmaker and critic Kevin B. Lee.

“Part of Zhao Liang: In Focus”