Petition poster
FilmDocumentary

Petition (2009)

Original title: 上访

2009-05-22 · 2h 0m · ZH
68%
User score
11 votes
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The dysfunctional Chinese justice system allows citizens with grievances against their local governments to petition the court to clear or correct their record. Yet in order to do so, the petitioners must travel to Beijing to file paperwork and wait an indefinite period to plead their case. Following the saga of a group of petitioners over the years of 1996 and 2008, Petition unfolds like a novel by Zola or Dickens. This was filmed surreptitiously from the point of view of the petitioners, and not the justice officials, the police, or those heavies sent by the municipalities.

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Zhao LiangDirector

Keywords

ChinaGovernment

Movie DNA

Genre affinityDocumentaryTheme affinityChina · GovernmentDirector preference836182Country preferenceCnDecade preference2000Runtime preferenceMedium

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Frequently asked questions about Petition

What is Petition about?

The dysfunctional Chinese justice system allows citizens with grievances against their local governments to petition the court to clear or correct their record. Yet in order to do so, the petitioners must travel to Beijing to file paperwork and wait an indefinite period to plead their case. Following the saga of a group of petitioners over the years of 1996 and 2008, Petition unfolds like a novel by Zola or Dickens. This was filmed surreptitiously from the point of view of the petitioners, and not the justice officials, the police, or those heavies sent by the municipalities.

How long is Petition?

Petition has a runtime of 120 minutes.