Slyly mixing elements of drama with documentary in a similar fashion to his previous Still Life, Jia applies a poetic, humanistic approach to grand historical change in this study of the genesis of a development of luxury flats in the Sichuan city of Chengdu (which was damaged by the earthquake in May 2008, soon after the film’s completion). What makes these particular symbols of China’s new wealth so compelling for Jia is that the flats are being built on the site of Factory 420, a state aeronautical factory founded in Chengdu in 1958 having been moved by rail, river and road from Shenyang in the north-west of the country, bringing with it some of its original workers.

The crisp and intricately composed HD images are richly suggestive of generational change, whether they’re strictly representative or staged – a conclusion that it’s often impossible to make. Five real interviewees sit alongside four actors (Lu Liping, Joan Chen, Zhao Tao, Chen Jianbin) who play former factory workers or models of the ‘new’ China – a device that may jar the more you recognise the players. Of course since May’s earthquake last year, 24 City has added significance: a reminder that the speed of economic and technological progression means little in the face of natural disaster.

Dave Calhoun

Screens on Apr 13 as the closing film of HKIFF

Read our other features:
Leader of the pack: Daniel Wu
Time regained: Wong Kar Wai
Presidential assassination: Oliver Stone
Van Dammage: JCVD

HKIFF Top ten list:
☆☆☆☆☆☆
Gomorrah (Dir Matteo Garrone)
Web exclusive: Matteo Garrone interview
Still Walking (Dir Hirokazu Kore'eda)
Hunger (Dir Steve McQueen)
Of Time and the City (Dir Terence Davies)
Web exclusive: Terence Davies interview

☆☆☆☆☆☆
Birdsong (Dir Albert Serra)
The Good, the Bad, the Weird (Dir Kim Jee-woon)
Web exclusive: Kim Jee-Woon interview
Revanche (Dir Götz Spielmann)
I've Loved You So Long (Dir Philippe Claudel)
Wendy and Lucy (Dir Kelly Reichardt)
Web exclusive: Kelly Reichardt interview
24 City (Dir Jia Zhangke)