As a free market Capitalist economy continues to become solidly entrenched in Communist China, the question naturally arises as to whether this constitutes an impressive grand plan and a marriage of the best of both words, or a disastrous economic counterpart to, say, schizophrenia. U.S.-based filmmaker Lixin Fan returned to his Chinese homeland, where he formerly worked in television, to make Last Train Home, an investigative documentary about just how this system is impacting the most vulnerable population—the masses of migrant factory workers from the countryside. Somewhat fibbing his way into those foreign-owned factories to expose conditions that are not really a secret, Fan described in this phone interview his not exactly guilt-free inquiry, his admiration for Michael Moore—which seems to have influenced Fan’s own filmmaking style here—and a rather cryptic Zen reply as to what his personal solution would be to China’s current economic challenges.
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Q: Why did the plight of migrant workers in China touch you so deeply that you spent many years, often under difficult circumstances, to make this movie?
LIXIN FAN: Well, when I was younger, my mother always told me that when you’re stronger, you’re supposed to take care of weaker people and those at a disadvantage. I pretty much grew up with that idea. I grew up in a big city, and personally never experienced migration life myself. But I did grow up during a time of the introduction of the market economy, so you did see a lot of hardworking people struggling for a better life. However, with migrant workers, they have to be away from their families for long periods and work really long hours and for little pay. I do see a big injustice while China is getting into high gear with this new economy. So I always wanted to make a film to pay a tribute to all those people, because I believe they are a cornerstone of the Chinese economy.
Q: How did you manage to gain such internal access to private factories and near-riot situations at the train stations for your film. And how far were you allowed to go, or barred from going?
LF: We filmed for three years in a row. But actually gaining access to the factories was way more difficult than filming in the government-run train stations. Those factories, as you can see, are more or less sweatshops. The working conditions there are really bad.
Q: How so?
LF: The workers usually have to work 10 or 15 hours a day with very little pay. The working environment is always stuffy and dim. But they do volunteer to work long hours, because the pay is so low. So conditions are really tough for them.
Q: And you mention that getting access to the factories was difficult. How did you manage to do so?
LF: Lots of chatting and getting drunk with the factory owners! And convincing them that we weren’t there to expose them, and hurt their businesses.
Q: But you actually did expose that! So have any of the owners seen your film?
LF: No! And we did expose the working conditions in the factories. But what we show is not so unusual. So they should not be concerned about my film, because thousands of other factories are just like theirs.
Q: And how did you and your film crew manage to squeeze into those overcrowded trains with all your camera equipment. Did the migrant workers heading back to their families, crushed together on board ever get mad at you?
LF: Yeah, that was a moral challenge we had, because the train tickets are so scarce during the New Year’s season. So in a way yes, I do feel a little guilty. But after all, I’m telling their story. I feel I’m doing something for the migrant workers. So I feel that helps a little in…counterbalancing my guilt.
Q: Well, did any of them ever try to throw you off the train to make room for more people?
LF: No, because they’re such nice people; they’re so earnest and hard working. Very down-to-Earth. I hold them close to my heart.
Q: And they didn’t mind being filmed?
LF: No, because once you gain their trust, they will tell you anything. They have been ignored and left behind for so long by the rapid economic reforms. As you see, most of the city residents have gotten rich and have a better life, unlike them.
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