Shanghai Below the High Rise
Synopsis
In an attempt to get the stories of those worst affected, the film journeys into the city's poverty-stricken backstreets, uncovering a way of life that could very soon be gone from the city forever.
Among the many conflicts explored, we see a backstreet neighbourhood ravaged by an incomplete construction project; migrant workers forced into the city's 'hidden' economy; and former state employees left jobless, and with limited future prospects.
This is a Shanghai rarely seen in the West. This is a Shanghai from below the high rise.
Details
- Year
- 2009
- Type of project
- Shorts
- Running time
- 52 mins
- Format
- DV
- Director
-
Simon James 1st Feature
- Producer
- Lucy Lu
- Editor
- Simon James
- Screenwriter
- Simon James, Lucy Lu
- Director of Photography
- Simon James
- Sound
- Simon James
- Composer
- Siddhartha Barnhoorn
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Shatterproof Productions
Cavendish House369 Burnt Oak Broadway
Edgware HA8 5AW
UK
T +44 (0)7947 180 747
Sales Company
Cat&Docs
18 rue Quincampoix #133F-75004 Paris
France
T +33 1 44 59 63 53
M +33 6 33 64 86 02Page updates
This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.
See also
You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.
Spacewoman
Director: Hannah Berryman
Year: 2024
A landmark feature documentary about astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle. Eileen’s incredible journey starts with her smalltown beginnings, sees her smash through many glass ceilings, and culminates in four dramatic space shuttle missions, the last being possibly the most dangerous and most important of them all. At its heart the film is the moving human drama of one family, where a mother’s extraordinary career takes us straight to the big philosophical question of what is the level of acceptable risk in human endeavour? This film celebrates Commander Collins’ trailblazing NASA career which opened the way for women to become spacecraft pilots and commanders, and proved a perfect riposte to a previous generation of male astronauts who thought there was no place for women to lead the way in space. Official Selection DOC NYC 2024 - World premiere Official Selection CPH:DOX 2025 - European premiere
Shoot the People
Director: Andy Mundy-Castle
Year: 2025
Photographer and activist Misan Harriman, documents the global impact of protest movements, capturing the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice in the year he was nominated for an Oscar for his short film THE AFTER. A documentary capturing photographer and activist Misan Harriman’s journey documenting global protest movements that drive social change. Following Harriman as he highlights the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice, the film showcases the intersectionality of these movements and their collective power. With historical context, interviews with activists, and explorations of digital activism, the documentary reveals how Harriman's lens brings the world's activism to light, inspiring viewers to recognize their own power in shaping a more just society. Official Selection SXSW London Film Festival 2025 Official Selection DOC NYC 2025
Captured Souls: In Conversation with Graham Humphreys
Director: Chris Collier
Year: 2025
Told in Graham Humphreys' own words and through a series of intimate conversations, this film explores the life and legacy of the UK's most iconic horror illustrator. From a childhood marked by a haunting Ladybird skeleton to the gouache-drenched goth era of EVIL DEAD and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, Humphreys reflects on a career that has defined horror for generations. Featuring discussions with Reece Shearsmith, Andy Nyman, Madeline Smith, Alan Jones, and more, the film charts a vivid timeline through banned video sleeves, goth clubs, iconic posters, and the rediscovery of a lost original.