“Bring down corruption, give me my human rights!” That's the cry heard early in Zhao Liang's Petition, a searing indictment of China's politically controlled legal system.

Zhao Liang spent more than a decade involved with the community of desperate citizens who journey to Beijing from all over China to petition the central government over injustices perpetrated in their hometowns. In the course of filming he uncovers the dire living conditions in which petitioners live and the systematic abuse meted out by the authorities. His deep involvement in the petitioners' lives also leads Zhao into an ethical minefield, which comes to a head in a dramatic fashion on screen.

This disturbing, unforgettable film is one of the most important works to emerge from China's independent documentary world.

Contains scenes that may disturb some viewers.

D/S Zhao Liang P Sylvie Blum WS INA L Mandarin w/English subtitles TD digibeta/2009

Read curator Dan Edwards' interview with director Zhao Liang at Senses of Cinema.