Stone Mountain

Fifty kilometres northwest of Beijing, there is a mountainous region rich in granite. Because of rapid urban expansion, the government has contracted many farmers in the area to mine their land. Many farmers who do not have their own land come from far and wide to cut the huge stone cubes, which will be used to pave city streets or build modern houses. Shot in different seasons, the documentary follows four main characters, all part of the same family, who struggle in the cold, rain and snow to cut granite as precisely as possible. Far away from their home, they share everything they have with one another. They cook, sleep and live together in a small barracks for most of the year. During the Spring Festival, the stonecutters go home to visit their family. When they return, the government has come to inspect the mine, bringing all work to a halt. Filmed in cinéma-vérité style, this visually stunning documentary provides us with dramatic insight into the struggle of workers in today's China. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)