The absorbingly cinematic Ascension explores the pursuit of the "Chinese Dream." This observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.... (Full plot summary below)
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The absorbingly cinematic Ascension explores the pursuit of the "Chinese Dream." This observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.
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| VarietyPeter DebrugeIt’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of her project, and it’s Kingdon’s work as editor that makes Ascension such a remarkable achievement. She organizes all these disparate scenes into a logical upward progression, and even though we seldom know where we are or who exactly we’re observing, these foreign situations are relatable, engaging and often unforgettable. |
| The TelegraphTim RobeyAs a giant window on all this toil, the film is full of news, insights and revelations without pushing a dogmatic thesis: it’s as open-ended and humanly interested as documentaries get. |
| The PlaylistWarren CantrellStylistically, Ascension borrows from the city-symphony genre at times, with long stretches passing without any dialogue as the camera whips past and through recycling depots, cell phone assembly lines, and poultry plants. There are no talking heads in the picture or any camera-facing reflections to guide the audience along a narrative, making it less cinéma vérité and more direct cinema in style. It is an effective approach. |
| The Hollywood ReporterDan FienbergPresented with no narrative and limited structure, Ascension is a collection of breathtaking images and revelatory vignettes that position China as a simultaneously alien and completely universal cultural and industrial landscape, never spelling out which direction points toward progress. |
| Los Angeles TimesRoxana HadadiThrough her unfussy direction and sly editing, Kingdon’s collection of vignettes is a reminder that the destructively frenzied cycle of consumption and waste always trickles down. |
| Austin ChronicleJosh KupeckiFocusing her camera on the rising cogs in the machine of China’s insatiable consumer culture, Jessica Kingdon expands on her 2017 short “Commodity City” with the visually stunning feature Ascension. |
| Screen DailyAllan HunterNever appearing to judge any situation, Kingdon confidently allows the images to tell a fascinating, universal story of inequality and class division, revealing a country that feels more like a capitalist society than anyone’s idea of a Communist state. |
| RogerEbert.comCarlos AguilarAs engrossing as it’s alarming, the documentary flows with a stream of consciousness about the illusion of the “Chinese Dream.” |
| The GuardianCath ClarkePart of the film’s genius is in how the images are put together, sometimes to absurd effect, at other times unnervingly. |
| Film ThreatNoah SchwartzIt empowers Chinese citizens while also shining a light on the exploitation and oppression they face in the workplace and job market. |
