What Happened to My “-ism”? The Class Struggles Accompanying China’s Rise

Since the Reform and Opening-up, China’s economic system has transitioned from a socialist one that emphasizes public ownership to a market-oriented one dominated by interest groups. The social structure undergoes significant changes. Government officials, private business owners, the middle class, farmers, and laid-off workers are manifesting the extreme polarization between the rich and the poor. The once uniform way of living and values have gone through a seismic change. From the “dictatorship of the proletariat” to “capitalist class conflict,” is there a balance between clashes and mutual benefits?

About the Documentary

Classmates
Directed by: Lin Xin
In 1978, a group of miners’ kids graduated from Sanlidong Middle School. Like the Reform and Opening-up, their lives were just about to start. The director follows his 23 classmates and captures how they strive to make a better life in a time where the post-80s generation becomes the dominant force in the market. Working for 30 years in different industries, how do they face the gap between their ideal life and reality?