Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks

Filmed between 1999 and 2001, WEST OF THE TRACKS details the gradual decline of Shenyang’s industrial Tiexi district, an area that was once a vibrant example of China’s socialist economy. But industry is changing, and the factories of Tiexi are closing. Director Wang Bing introduces us to some of the workers affected by the closures, and to their families. With a total runtime of more than nine hours, the film comprises three parts: “Rust”, “Remnants”, and “Rails”.