Beijing Taxi

New American Filmmakers National Film Tour
Presented by the Hawaii International Film Festival and the Vilcek Foundation

The NEW AMERICAN FILMMAKERS National Film Tour is a touring package of films produced by innovative, cutting-edge American immigrant filmmakers over the last five years. The mission of the NAF Tour is to highlight the contributions of gifted immigrant filmmakers to contemporary American cinema.

Directed by Miao Wang
78 Minutes
Mandarin w/English Subtitles

With the preparations for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games as the backdrop, the feature-length documentary, BEIJING TAXI portrays the profound transformation of the ancient capital of China told through the eyes of three taxi drivers. Jiwan Bai, a driver in his mid 50′s, represents the older, lost generation that came of age during the Cultural Revolution. Caixia Wei, is a mother in her mid-thirties and of the younger generation who aspires to a free-spirited life. Zhou Yi, an optimistic and content man in his late thirties that holds on to the more traditional Beijinger’s lifestyle of the past. As the city of Beijing modernizes, their diverse lives are challenged with the impact of socio-economic changes that create struggles and limitation. Though their future is yet uncertain, they continue forward with their daily lives and aspirations. Director Miao Wang’s first feature-length documentary film, BEIJING TAXI, navigates, through a cinematic and poetic style, on the path that a society travels to modernization.

Trailer: http://youtu.be/zQM43Uoo47k