In northeastern China, in the Zhili region, textile factories stretch as far as the eye can see. In this fashion production hub, 3,000 garments are created every minute, and there is always a shortage of labor, with workers resting in large dormitories located within the same industrial complex. Every day, thousands of individual and collective stories unfold: a young woman complains about her coworkers’ teasing; another worker struggles to get paid what he is owed. A group elsewhere clashes with an unfair supplier, while another is reprimanded by the authorities. They all share one thing in common: they feel lonely, exhausted, and frustrated. Award-winning director Wang Bing exposes the bitter everyday lives of young Chinese day laborers in his Youth trilogy. Hard Times is the second film in the series.

SCREENING
March 21, 3:30 p.m.