IDFA 2008
I Wanna Be Boss
Marije Meerman
Netherlands, Belgium, United States
2008
58 min
World Premiere
I Wanna be Boss… reports on how the next generation of Chinese leaders is being molded. In this documentary we follow five very smart Chinese students through their final high-pressure year at an elite high school in Chongqing, a megalopolis in central China. They are competing, together with 10,5 million students all over the country, for a limited amount of spots at Beijing's top two universities. Studying from 7.10 AM till 10.30 PM, 6 days a week, the students’ lives are regimented almost every minute of the day as they prepare for the end-of-year exam that can determine their fate. For many students from poor or rural backgrounds, a strong performance on the test is the only way to climb the social ladder and excel without connections.
Credits
Director
Production
Co-production
VPRO,
Thirteen/WNET,
Lichtpunt
VPRO,
Thirteen/WNET,
Lichtpunt
Cinematography
Music
Coparck
Coparck
Screenplay
Involved TV Channel
VPRO,
Thirteen/WNET,
Lichtpunt
VPRO,
Thirteen/WNET,
Lichtpunt
World Sales
NPO Sales
NPO Sales
Screening copy
Submarine
Submarine