Boatman

Overview

91-year-old Tan Bangwu is a well-known veteran boatman in the Three Gorges region. His four sons are all among the post-relocation migrants of the Three Gorges Project. After the reservoir began filling in June 2003, most of their mountain land was submerged, making their livelihood a serious concern. This film, spanning a decade, documents the mass relocation of Three Gorges migrants, the historic transformation from deep gorges to wide lakes; it captures the lived experience and emotional upheaval of an old boatman and his descendants amid sweeping change; and it preserves the arduous history and resilient survival spirit of the boatmen of the Three Gorges region.