China Rises

Combining the finest documentary talent of CBC, the New York Times and other broadcast partners, this special CBC co-production China Rises takes viewers inside this vibrant, fascinating nation during what may prove to be the most important period in its history. Airing over two nights, China Rises explores four themes, each of them featuring compelling first-hand accounts of the triumphs and disappointments of the people who make up China's diverse population. Visually stunning, China Rises is filmed entirely in High Definition, capturing rarely seen images of both rural and urban China.


In part one on January 22, China Rises examines both the rewards and repercussions for individuals living in a nation that boasts the world's fastest growing economy as it prepares to host the greatest nation-building exercise of the modern era: The Olympic Games in Beijing, 2008. In the first hour, entitled "Party Games", viewers are invited to take an intimate look at the remarkable convergence of a communist political system with an increasingly capitalist economy through the eyes of six different people involved with the Olympics. In the second hour, "Getting Rich" explores how China has embraced private enterprise and made the most rapid economic advances of any nation in history. In intimate conversations, Chinese men and women speak of a country where some are reaping the benefits of economic progress, and others are being left behind






In the second China Rises broadcast on January 29, China's future is examined from different perspectives. In "City of Dreams," a fascinating group of Shanghai residents - ranging from a video director to an activist - describe the inequalities and extremes that are part of China's most cosmopolitan city, where young professionals are leading lives of discotheque decadence, while resentment rises among those sidelined by Shanghai's rapid transformation. And finally, "Food Is Heaven" presents a passionate case for why food is the very heart and soul of China. By offering an anatomy of a Chinese celebratory feast, and interviews with both a chef in training and a conservationist, "Food Is Heaven" argues that steps must be taken to combat the toll that industry and a strained environment are taking on China's resources.