Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2002)

Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks is a 2003 Chinese documentary film by Wang Bing. Over 9 hours long, the film consists of three parts, "Rust," "Remnants" and "Rails."

Tie Xi Qu was filmed over the course of two years between 1999 and 2001 and details the slow decline of Shenyang's industrial Tiexi district, an area that was once a vibrant example of China's socialist economy. With the rise of free market and the move towards other industries, however, the factories of Tiexi have all begun to be closed down, and with them, much of the district's worker-based infrastructure and social constructs.

Although Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks is rarely seen due to its length, many critics have named it one of the most important films of the 2000s.

Synopsis

The first portion, "Rust," follows a group of factory workers in three state-run factories: a smelting plant, an electric cable factory and a sheet metal factory. Workers of all three are hindered by sub-standard equipment, hazardous waste, and a lack of safety precautions. Perhaps even worse, the declining need for heavy industry results in a constant shortage of raw materials, leaving the workers idle and concerned for their future.