Ascension is set in China, which is regarded as a global economic powerhouse in the race to become the largest economy in the world. China is on the pathway to becoming a high-income country, which would paint a glamorous picture of a highly prosperous nation. However, that thinking would only hold until one sees it through the New York-based, China-observing director Jessica Kingdon’s perspective. Kingdon, who is half Chinese, got the title of the movie from poetry work done by her great-grandfather Zheng Ze. Ascension offers a description of contemporary China where Kingdon depicts the “Chinese Dream” that is reminiscent of the “American Dream” through a bottom-up approach. It represents a high-quality production nominated for an Oscar and won an award at the Tribeca Film Festival. The narrative created is that of the struggle people in the low social class go through in a capitalist economy as the high-class individuals spend their disposable income in leisure.
The film underscores the recognition of the thorough assignment carefully and tenaciously undertaken by the production team. It spans one and a half hours of work, covering over 50 sets across the vast Chinese geography. The photographers Edward Burtynsky (“Manufactured Landscapes”) and Lauren Greenfield (“Queen of Versailles”) implore their skills to produce a high-quality film. The movie shows a deep contrast between the elite and those at the low end of the economic order (Parsons, 1968). The first shot opens with women cleaners at the periphery of a high-class hotel’s rooftop swimming pool ((Kingdon, 2021). The photographers capture an ignorant influencer complaining over an apparent heart attack with no regard for the gardener working just a short distance away.
The movie documents episodes are class divisions in society across the production systems and consumption. There is a moment where women preparing silicone sex dolls are shown in the production process as they rush to meet increasing demand. Consumption is captures in private dining rooms where the elite members of the society enjoy themselves as they learn to eat a banana using a knife and fork. Any person watching the film will appreciate the work done by the team where the audience is repeatedly taken aback by unthinkable scenes beyond an ordinary person’s thinking of the modern China. The film exposes the numerous obstructions curtailing movement up the economic class in a time of brisk societal and economic changes (Ritzer, 1983). Ascension describes the journey up the ladder where the viewer does not have the luxury of losing sight of the workers struggling at the bottom of the communist society’s setup amid the blooming hyper-capitalist economy.
The movie does not have any spoken commentary or talking heads, nor is it based on discreet data. It is filmed from a western perspective, where Kingdon paints the picture of China as an outsider, notwithstanding any biases she could have. Even though the producer better understands Chinese culture, the wider audience is left to draw their reactions from every stage individually. Therefore, what one viewer may find ironic could resonate rather differently for some other person, such that it evokes feelings of prejudice and pride simultaneously.
The film provides an inner view of the several factories with footage documenting the industrial activities. The episodes capture images of tired workers, which is not expected under the desire of attaining the supposed “Chinese Dream”. She further films the business side of the country as characterized by Jade Face, a live streamer offering makeup advice on the Taobao shopping outlet (Kingdon, 2021). Different images depict middle-class society showing different coaching sessions and meetings where the locals are taught to refine their stature in society. Women are taught business formalities, such as the appropriate way to smile and embrace one another, while men gain skills in becoming guards. It shows leisure moments with the rich spending free time in amusement parks, and video arcades, enjoying and learning western cuisine. The images show good expertise, with scenes framed from spectacular angles.
In conclusion, Ascension can fairly be described as a good production featuring hundreds of people, even though a few are actively involved. The sheer scale of the film seems overwhelming, but Kingdon uses her skills and knowledge to produce a remarkable work of art. The project succeeds owing to well-organized scenes that show a logical progression from the low to the middle and the high class. It may not be easy to point to the actual site of different episodes, but they are presented in an engaging, relatable, and memorable fashion.
Reference
Kingdon, J. (Director). (2021). Ascension. [Film]. Hollywood: MTV Entertainment Studios: 1:37:50. Web.