Educational Media Reviews Online

The Transition Period documents a Communist party leader—Shu Ji in Chinese—and his economically disadvantaged county in mainland China. The film takes a closer look at the last month of Guo Yongchang in Gushi County before a job transition. With simple yet realistic cinematography, the audience will be wowed by Guo’s impressive political legacy as well as the corrupt life behind the scenes.

Guo aimed to urbanize the county in his term. To accomplish this goal, he was steadfast when he fought for reducing government deficits; he put on a poker face when he socialized with investors across the country and beyond; he was even in tears when he said farewell to local residents. However, due to greed and the pursuit of power and materialism, Guo was eventually sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption and accepting bribes.

In China, political legacy matters so much that many government officials strive to do anything to impress their peers and take credit. Although the global media takes a critical view of China’s economic boom, local governments never slow down the leap of development and modernization. The transition period for Mr. Guo is smooth, but economic reform in China is going through an uneven and painful path. The visual and audio quality may not be satisfying, but the film stands out for its realistic and rare first hand records. The film comes with Henan dialect and English subtitles. It’s recommended for any level of audience to get a glimpse of Chinese government officials’ daily lives.

Awards

• Winner Best Feature China Documentary Film Festival