Movies that mirror your life in China
Indie Movie Reviews: One Expat Story, One Dongguan Debut This is Sanlitun (2013) When it came across my desktop, I thought, “Finally, someone has done it.” Bar talk in every expat community, as far as I can tell, is fraught with drink-fueled epiphanies of bringing ‘our’ story to the silver screen. And when I saw the trailer for This Is Sanlitun and its credentials of international film festival appearances, I thought, “This could be funny.” Self-proclaimed China expert Frank, conducts himself with many characteristics of Pinocchio’s Honest John. The comedy-driven mockumentary catalogs the adventure and missteps of Gary, a dopey, wide-eyed underdog that seems new to his sense of optimism. Introducing himself and the plot to the camera, nothing can stop him. And then, on his first step toward rebuilding his life and finding international trading success, he stops off to reunite with his estranged Chinese ex-wife and pre-pubescent, “mixed” son. His family has moved, but t...