synopsis

Once a thriving capital of Ancient China, Datong City now lies in near ruins. Not only is it the most polluted city in the country, it is crippled by crumbling infrastructure and shakier economic prospects. But controversial city administrator Geng Tanbo plans to change all that, announcing a bold, new plan to return Datong to its former glory. Such declarations, however, come at a high cost to his community. Thousands of homes are to be bulldozed, and a half-million of its residents will be relocated to pave the way for so-called economic progress. While Geng Tanbo tirelessly blazes a trail of modernization, he’s besieged by irate citizens, a corrupt bureaucracy, and crooked contractors. Will the “mayor” succeed in his ambitious goals, and if he does, will it be for better, or for worse?