From 51 Spots to One Oscar‑Shortlisted Film
Jessica Kingdon roamed more than half a dozen Chinese cities, poked around factories, waterparks and even a private butler school to capture a slice of life that’s as vast as Shanghai’s skyline.
Why 51 Locations?
- Each shot feels like a breadcrumb trail, letting viewers trace how the world turns out the next meal and gadget.
- It’s a visual mosaic that shows the tug‑of‑war between hard work and the shiny lure of consumerism.
- “It’s a fever dream,” Kingdon says – a gnawing chain of “because this happens” that spills into a whole new story.
The Three-Act Roller‑Coaster
There’s no voice‑over, no interview – just front‑row seats to the drama that unfolds as the narrator of each section is the day‑to‑day reality of different social classes.
- Labour – Thousands of workers chase low‑pay jobs, from sizzling assembly lines to bustling splash‑pads.
- Consumerism – Watch the empire of “Keep America Great” tees go from ink to bulk, then see doll‑making workers chatting about their latest “bling” order.
- Wealth – The quiet glitter of high‑end goods, juxtaposed against the hustle of the middle class.
From Sustainable Dream to Reality Check
What started as a plan to shine a light on environmental cost turned into a sharp look at material hunger and the climb for upward mobility.
For Kingdon, the biggest “aha” moment was when she realised that following the production cycle turned into a study of China’s economic pulse.
Staying Straight-Edge
Even as the camera marked the factory that people call “the world’s workshop,” she steered clear of political speeches. “The goal is to let viewers sit with the sights and sounds, not to shove them into categories,” Kingdon says.
Think about your own shopping habits… and how your daily life might unknowingly mirror China’s massively coordinated supply chain.
Stay tuned. The window into this sprawling, complex system is now on the Oscar shortlist, and who knows? Maybe your next coffee could be the inspiration for the next blockbuster?
