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One Child Nation

R Released Aug 9, 2019 1h 25m Documentary TRAILER for One Child Nation: Trailer 1 List
98% Tomatometer 101 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
After becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China's one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.
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One Child Nation

One Child Nation

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Critics Consensus

As illuminating as it is accessible, One Child Nation probes a painful chapter in Chinese history with piercing clarity.

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Critics Reviews

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Brad Newsome Sydney Morning Herald Grand atrocities pile atop private heartbreak as this powerful film unfolds. Dec 18, 2019 Full Review David Fear Rolling Stone What eventually emerges is a peerless portrait of collective trauma - a devastating look at how this law not only sociologically gutted a country but made everyone complicit in the crime. Rated: 4/5 Dec 18, 2019 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian [A] powerful documentary... Rated: 4/5 Sep 25, 2019 Full Review Diego Batlle Otroscines.com Describes the scope, excesses, abuses and effects of the "one child policy" with force and sensitivity. [Full Review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 Oct 27, 2021 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com A difficult to see 'must see' documentary. Rated: 3.5/4.0 Sep 18, 2020 Full Review Luke Gorham In Review Online This study in cultural misogyny - which was not born of, but rather found validation in, the one-child policy - represents the best of Wang's instincts. Jul 30, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bahad j In my opinion, the movie uses very good camera and audio visual equipment and the crew members and the filmmakers have played their roles very well. I really liked it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/01/24 Full Review Geke g This is why documentaries keep developing in film industry. Always pulling fresh air in the business. Enjoy for everyone Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/28/24 Full Review Munkhchimeg T How sad is this truth? I wish everyone watch it and catch some unique new feeling Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/27/24 Full Review Zachary L A great documentary about China's infamous one-child policy. Though, the filmmaker sort-of trips over herself when she smuggles in the topic of American Abortion rights. Other than that awkward moment, it's a nearly perfect film that I'd recommend to anyone. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/10/22 Full Review Audience Member Documentarian Nanfu Wang (whose name alluding to hopes for a son in the family) is a new mom whose own memories of China's one-child policy spanning 35 years led her to adventure upon the darkening trenches of a nation's harrowing extreme population control and its spine-chilling affliction on its people and their families. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Although everyone should see One Child Nation, this is perhaps especially important material for those raised in Western democracies while the one child policy (among many government decisions over many decades) ravaged our counterparts in China. I can't recommend this film any higher. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
One Child Nation

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis After becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China's one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.
Director
Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang
Producer
Christopher Clements, Julie Goldman, Carolyn Hepburn, Christoph Jörg
Distributor
Amazon Studios
Production Co
ITVS, Pumpernickel Films, Next Generation, Motto Pictures
Rating
R (Brief Language|Some Disturbing Content/Images)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 9, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 8, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$151.7K
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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