Very well put together. Real people and real life in modern chinese society.Cindy stands for the hope for Change in Chinese society. Eager to learn and change, never looking back.
Cheer for China!

In some ways this is a hopeful film as it shows the perhaps unintended side effects of a massive, and sometimes lauded and admired project. This project of course has personal consequences, difficult consequences for those on the margins.

Beijing's power moved the people out, but did not move the mountains away from the river. The gorges were kept open for thousands of years by the moving water. Stop the water, and - - -

Pity the people who must sell their daughters to the tourists in order to survive.

Cruised The Three Gorges Dam Project in 2000 and was concerned then about the local peasant farmers when you saw the levels markd on the hillside where fooding was to take place. This documentary did nothing to elevate my concerns.

In 2000 I saw the beauty of the gorges .Is that also destroyed

The movie presents a real insight onto the problems facing the people being forced to relocate, and is an excellent starting point for a discussion on the costs and benefits of what we envision as progress.

But the movie also conveys an important life lesson. As a second year university student living in Vancouver, I was struck by the stark contrast between Yu Shui's life and my own. We are both Chinese. We both value education. It is only by chance that I came from a middle class family while she came from one struggling to survive and put food on the table.

This movie reminds me that a lot of problems I face everyday are not problems at all - there are mere inconveniences blown out of proportion by the standards of Western society. There are young men and women out there, all over the world, who face real challenges everyday and survive despite of them. When you think about life from this more global perspective, you become more humble and grateful for what you have, and are less likely to unfairly complain about what you "ought" to have.

Congratulations to Jung, our neighbour in years past, for this excellent and sensitive film.

Having sailed the Yangtse with a small (12) group of Aussie/Brit/Canadians-3) in March 06, my wife and I (60-ish) were delighted with this documentary, giving us a perspective that was sorely missing from our "comfort" zone ( one Chinese guide careful not to ruffle feathers of people we were invited to 'chat' with....those who could speak some English and wanted to practice it: we were 'asked' NOT to ask about Tiannamen Square-'89, Tibet, or the Cultural Revolution. We were amazed that the young people dealing with tourists were cautioned NOT to talk about Quebec independence with Canadians, and Northern Ireland independence from Britain with British subjects. The documentary confirmed that China is on a different planet.

I think the documentary did a good job of highlighting the plight of the poor in China. What I realized as I watched was that it seemed like the government was washing the sight of the the shacks and huts away, clearing the "unsightly" habitates from the view of the tourists as they rode on their cruise ships down the river. And then they were relocated to a place where they could no longer farm, forcing them to buy what they needed (but with what money?) this only served to push them into the capitalist economy. The heartless meanuever of flooding ones land and home has occured in other developing nations around the world and it has always been inhumane but how is it legal?

The documentary Up The Yangtze was a very emotional film for me to watch, because in North America, Canada, where I live there is not poverty and struggle quite like what is drawn to attention in this show, for most of us life is rather swell, society here feels that being deprived means having to wait in line at the grocery store, not actually having your Human rights taken away by the Government, by being forced to relocate because the land you once called home is going to be flooded to create tourism and revenue at the peasant and there families expense.

I took education and food for granted till I turned 20 and realized how lucky I was to have these rights, I also used to think the Canadian Government was corrupt and unfair, but I fear a Government thats much worse and does not value human life or the environment, no matter what the cost is, the Government I fear is in China, I no longer take education and food for granted but I will admit I still see Greed on a regular basis in society and it will always exist, I am ashamed of myself for the opportunities that I've had and the opportunities that I have wasted for never Knowing what its like to live in Yu Shui's shoes.

This made me very sad, in so many ways - for the young man who doesn't know how to be with people other than his own crowd, for the peasant family,for the two million refugees after centuries of eking out a living on the river.
Then I started thinking that we had done a similar thing in Canada, when we emptied entire villages for the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Progress is a blunt-edged sword. A documentary like this gives us the opportunity to stop for a moment and see the effect of rapid progress. A beautiful film.

Thank you for showing this on CBC. I believe this documentary has showcased the at different levels the paradox that exist in China. I feel for the Yu family and the struggle and obstacles that it represents. I truly hope that the Chinese governments (central, provincial or local) can and will manage this seemingly unprecendented growth and balance the social costs that it is creating.

I found the documentary "Up the Yangtze" disturbing. It is sad that in today's world people live with such sadness in their lives.I recently read a brochure and considered a cruise on the Yangtze. However, I have changed my mind after watching this disquieting feature. I wish that every person in the world did not have to endure all that we see on television.Why don't our politicians step up to the plate and do what they know is right. Why is their so much carneigh in the world.

You've done a great job!

I just finished watching this masterpiece. What a fantastic view of rural and urban dichotomy in China. The choice of using two very different characters and portraying their stories really reflect the reality of the Chinese situation. I can identify with the "jerry" character as i too am an only son of an immigrant Chinese family. I can relate to the attitudes of that guy. Incredible.

Being half Chinese and being able to speak mandarin, my parents have sent me to China to seek out my roots where I traveled extensively across China for 4 months. I have seen up close and personal how the flooding of the Yangtze has affected farmers and spoken to the locals. Its true how the corrupt communist government forces the people to move, and its also true that the government builds new modern housing, but the vast majority of the farmers cannot afford to pay the rent.

Their way of life has been taken away, they no longer have jobs. The only way is to send their children to work in the cities or on the tour boats. I've spoken to the workers(kids really, no older than me at the time. I was 18.) on the boats. Despite all the hardships they've been through, they themselves say that they are better off now than they were before. Its "progress" whether you like it or not. After coming back, I've learned to take nothing for granted, but more importantly I've learned to work harder at whatever I do, and appreciate what I have.

The dam not only destroyed millions of homes, but also destroyed the most important cradleland of Chinese culture. Many historial sites are more than 1500 years old. As a Chinese, I feel very sad for our country.

This is certainly an insightful view of today's China and the impact of the people that lived on the Yangtze. This film is beautifully photographed with an unexpected poignancy of how rapidly China is moving into the 21st Century, overwhelming its people with helplessness. The tour guides put on a brave face to the tourists, assuring them all affected are being looked after in new homes. How sad to see behind the facade.

And when will the Chinese government truly look after its people?

Great piece! Powerful and extremely sad. Chinese government successfully destroyed both the nature and its people. CBC certainly puts on the best documentaries in the world.

Congrats to the writer, producer and the director of the film.
MH

I deeply regret missing the first 10-15 minutes of "Up the Yangtze", however, this documentary truly amazed me. I enjoyed the many different perspectives that are captured throughout this documentary. The immense change that has taken place is carried out through countless individuals. I can not depict the structual change of the river to be beneficial nor a mistake.

As for the setbacks, it has destroyed 2 million homes and lives, taken away farmland, water and invaluable history. However, it creates realistic goals in developing electricity, create new jobs in hospitality and tourism and continue to shape China's insurging industrial life. In the end, this documentary is heart-warming as it takes you in the daily lives and struggles of China's lower end citizens.

It may lead to possible change if further documentaries of developing Asian countries are displayed for nation-wide audiences to understand and seek out action. Hopefully, in the near future I may be fortunate enough to view anything documentary involving Vietnam.

Moving film, persuasive without being preachy. But I noticed that the theatrical release is 93 minutes long (it's now playing at The Cumberland in Toronto), while this version was about 63 minutes. Could someone who saw it at a theatre comment on what's in those missing 30 minutes? Thanks.

This was excellent. Well done to the folks involved.

Cheers.
Anton Norbert.

I was moved by this doc, no other way to put it. We've been hearing about the plight of the people displaced by the dam for some time now, but to see the reality of it... And to see the shameful antics of the western tourists done up like dowager empresses while the MC merrily sings *it's so easy to speak chinesey* made me sick to my stomach. I guess seeing millions of people displaced, communities destroyed and lives shattered has become nothing more than another stop on the tourist trade.

For four years as a university geography student the social and environmental issues associated with the Three Gorges Dam have confronted me. The complexity of unfolding environmental repercussions and my individualistic inability to comprehend the complacent displays of progress, in this still largely communal society, leave me with an unsettling feeling of the future of such a key economic player. In an age of globalization via pocketbook values, I fear the message that it sends.
I think China can and will benefit from this engineering feat, and while it is but a sample of political chess-play with the Earth and its people as pawns, it has me wondering who the big players are and what it takes to win.

The documentary 'Up the Yangtze' is definitely poignant and moving. I really enjoyed it. It is sad to see China in its great leap forward has abandoned its people in need, destroyed numerous communities, and allowed corruption to flourish. The founding principle of the Communist Party was to take care of its people. Until it starts to do that, it will always remain a third world country with poor human rights record.

The documentary was very moving and very well done.

Sad to see the Chinese farmers are left high and dry with their homes destroyed and no way of earning income to support themselves or their families other than to have their children provide for them.

Is it just me that wonders why the man with the tumour on his shoulder is not being looked after by their government doctors as the Olympics will bring more than enough people from all parts of the world and they cannot hide the lack of compassion their great project has created for the common everyday worker.

What about Doctors without boarders? ..hopefully someone from that group will see your documentary and maybe try to do something to help him..he's a young man with a wife and three children..and living in pain without medicine to ease it or do anything to counteract the cancer within him. The smile on his face shows just how proud and brave he was while the filming was being done.

Also the woman whose ankles are raw from the toxic waste!

It just makes me angry that a large country like China thinks only of the monetary aspects it will provide them and not the people themselves..too bad we couldn't all boycot things made in China..but unfortunately that would do more damage to the common folk in China than to the ones we would like to target..the greedy bureaucrats.

This is an excellent documentary. I travelled the very same route last October. It is an accurate depiction. It also very well captures the many dimensions of this very complex situation. The one thing it is missing is the trip up one of the tributaries that we took -- an amazing journey.

Our trip covered much of China and Tibet, concluding with the Yantze cruise. So, we got great insights into what is happening in China and Tibet.

The creators are to be congratulated on an excellent film

Thank you CBC for bringing this to us. I saw the advertising before hand and suggested it to many of my friends.

My wife and I took the very cruise boat featured in this movie. I appreciate the director's point-of-view and his ability to reveal another side to our experience on the boat. It's unfortunate, even though I commend the CBC for supporting such a documentary, that the version we saw on TV last night was not what we saw in the movie theater.

I think if you want to know what Mary and I went through and see a true depiction of the Chinese life, then you ought to rush to the movie theater to see Up The Yangtze on the cinematic screen because I truly feel you are missing a big part of the experience. The movie looks riveting on the movie screen. This version is only the appetizer for a much bigger meal. My best wishes to the producers of this magnificent movie documentary. Jim and Mary.

I don't want to eat anything grown anywhere near the southern reaches of that river. Yuck!

Great film! Well balanced, objective, insightful and full of wonderful juxtaposition that broadens the perspectives of all that will see your movie. I wonder what North America was like when we conducted our own slum clearance/ progress initiatives related to our highways programs. Weighing up the freedoms one has from farming for themselves with the discomforts of a sustenance lifestyle against the freedoms they loose working for someone else in exchange for some greater comforts seems a difficult dilemma. I can't say I agree or disagree with what China is doing, seeing how the same was done here, I only wish that they could have learned from the developed world's mistakes before they ventured off into the great modernising revolution.

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report that we have increased the fund for the Yu family to include other families and individuals affected by the Three Gorges Dam. The new goal is now set for $25,000. You can check out the fund through our site at http://uptheyangtze.com or go to http://www.givemeaning.com/project/yufam

Thank you for your continued support and insightful comments.

All the best,
Yung Chang
Director
Up The Yangtze

I like the film, only from the film art perspective. It tells a story, a ture and sad story. However, a true story may not be a complete story. It is so easy for people to misunderstand what is going on with a true, but incomplete story, especially to those only sitting in their couches and get all the information from inches size TV.

If you go to visit China and live there for a short time. You will understand why the project has to be done, even done with sacrifice. Do not forget the context of the project. There are close to 1,400,000,000 people in the country need energe. China does not start wars to grab another country's oil like US; China also has no where to buy electricity like Canada does. Nuclear energe? Coal energe? Then there would be an environmental issue. Who can resolve the energe problem for China? China, herself.

How would you expect the country that has most population in the world to run without enough energe? Just imagine if that day happens, how many families would become the poor family in the film. Do you want to see China and Chinese people living in a disorder and poor condition? Why so many westen people want to see Chinese people living in small shelters and working as farmers forever?

I bet this film would be soon used as an evidence to against human rights status in China. It is expected because people can not see the whole view of the entire situation, especially to those people try not to see the whole picture.

I know the director stayed in China for 3 years to make the film. I am sure there must something else happened the film does not show. It is reasonable for the director to pick materials to make the film. I bet that you are not seeing the whole picture and complete story, especially after the film has been post cut through so many people's hands.

If you want to understand China and Chinese people, please go to China and see with your own eyes. Believe me, your life would be more complete!

This cinema masterpiece is experience of Chinese not westerner story. I am a Chinese from Beijing. I have lived here for 3 years. As a Chinese, I hope you will go to take in this experience and learn more about our middle kingdom. This movie is fair and shows piece of Chinese life. Do not miss this masterpiece. It made me laugh it made me cry. It made me think about my homeland. I think its very important to put away Chinese patriotic feelings and must look at this film as telling the truth. China is changing so fast but it is not just wealth and positive. I think even for Chinese we have not seen this side of life in my country. i'm very happy for this film and i think, as Chinese, it is important to see all of the sides of our story. that way we can grow to learn to be better.

I am in the travel business and I am not sure just how I feel a bout this program. I am torn between the fact that I really feel for the young lady portrayed, and her attempt to get her education, and whether the Chinese are really trying to do something to really help their country get the energy they desperately need to continue to grow.or whether they are trying to pad their own pockets and the pockets of those who agree with them.

I have no interest on those who want the tourist dollars at any cost, nor do I sell my clients on what is going to get me the most commission.

I think the best way to go from here is to be not only ecologically conscience, but to be morally and ethically conscience.

It is not enough to say that we are providing a living for those who may not have it, but we must provide a comfortable living , as in one must be able to have at the very least, a few hours to themselves a week, to enjoy themselves, rather to have to spend all their time wondering how they are going to stay alive for the next few days.

I was working in China for three months last fall. This story of the Three Gorges and the dislocation of millions... and the disparity between the 'old' China and the 'new' China is just one small piece of the larger story unfolding every day every place in China.

Everywhere I went Nanjing, Ningbo, Shanghai, Wuhan, Hefei, Beijing (and other cities that I can't remember the names of) I met young people hundreds of miles from home, working hard to send money home to their families. Everywhere getting the chance to speak English and improve English skills is embraced by the smiling youth.
One thing not seen in that film is the devastating pollution all this 'progress' has inflicted upon the people.and country.

Another thing not covered is the huge number of foreigh business men in China cashing in on the 'advantages' that country offers foreign business...cheap labour, minimal health and workplace safety regulations, and minimal protection or benefits for the workers.

Our society and our high standard of living is based on the toil nd pain of the Chinese people, but our society cannot be considered to have high moral integrity when we ignore the brutality of the system that virtually enslaves the Chinese for our benefit.

The scene that most describes the reality in China is the scene where the boat 'steward' laughs hysterically and answers the question "Everybody is happier" and is obviously aware of the complete fallacy of his words. The Chinese KNOW what is going on and have no ability to change their government or the forces controlling their government.

Human life has always been cheap in China and NOTHING has changed!

I thought this was an outstanding film. It was very moving and an illuminating look at how some of China's poor live (Yu's family). One scene that really struck me was the baldfaced lying about the houses that were shown to the tourists of where the relocatees (or REE-LO-CAY-TEES, as enunciated by the bus tour guide) would be put. Refrigerator, colour tv, air conditioning - I saw none of that in the one-room that the Yu family moved into. I hope Yu Shui (Cindy) is doing well and pray the best for her.
Very moving film - more please from CBC.

I spent one year in China and that documentary seems to be pretty close to Chinese reality although many people were apparently comensated for what happened with the Yangtzee. Cheer to the producers and all my thoughts are with the families who lost their homes.