Total Trust

The first major film about the Chinese surveillance state is a disturbing tale of technology, (self-)censorship and abuse of power in the 21st century. Two families fight for justice from within the digital prison.
Knowledge is power, and in China the state now knows more about the population than people know about themselves. Surveillance never has just one face, but is a fine-meshed mix of facial recognition, big data analysis and a points system where you can gain and lose points based on your behavior – a system almost worthy of a dystopian parody, if it wasn’t already a reality. Amidst this spider web of monitoring, the protagonists each fight a battle for justice. Chen’s husband is a human rights activist lawyer who has been imprisoned since 2020 for his legal work. Ever since, her life has been monitored around the clock. We also meet one of the only independent journalists who has had the courage to investigate the shocking developments in the world’s largest country. ‘Total Trust’ is the first major film that intimately portrays courageous people living in China’s increasingly monitored society. An eye-opening and deeply disturbing tale of technology, abuse of power and (self-)censorship, which the COVID pandemic only caused to accelerate at rocket speed.
Director & Cast
- Director: Jialing Zhang
Where to Watch
Photos
Reviews
- "A thorough overview of China’s multi-pronged assault on the privacy and rights of its populace."
- "Her chilling, damning film, directed from outside China... with the help of dozens of anonymous local collaborators, stands as... a compelling warning of unchecked surveillance, holding an incriminating mirror to our would-be watchers."
- "Captivating and chilling at the same time... takes us deep into the Chinese surveillance state.... It is the observational documentary at its best...."
- "It’s a haunting film, to be sure, but absolutely vital. In a land where half a billion cameras are pointed without permission, this is one camera bravely pointed by filmmakers who capture something both cautionary and extraordinarily compelling."
- "It is an urgent, gripping and frightening film, and serves as much as a warning for the rest of the world as it describes China and its increasing authoritarianism"
Best Feature
It's All True - Int'l. Documentary Film Festival
CPH:DOX Award
CPH:DOX
Hot Docs Festival
Camera Justitia Award
The Hague Movies that Matter Festival
Sydney Film Festival
Sheffield Doc Fest
Now Playing
Venue |
City |
State |
Begins |
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Film Forum | New York | NY | December 8, 2023 |