In Chengdu, China, the government is closing state-owned factory 420 to make way for a high-end apartment complex called 24 City. In this partially fictionalized documentary set in the capital city of the Sichuan province before the devastating earthquake of 2008, director Zhang Ke Jia captures a brief moment in the epic history of a country marked by communism. Through the testimonies of three generations of residents, as well as the stories of a handful of fictional composite characters based on dozens of real people, we begin to understand the complexity of the transition from communism to capitalism. The older characters show nostalgia for the communist era and pride in factory work, while the younger ones both appreciate and regret the new economy. In addition to the stories, the beautifully composed shots of the factory in operation and later being dismantled will remain with you long after you have left the theater.  CF