LAOBANG RIVER

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Description

This documentary chronicles my 2025 field research on water pollution in Qiantao Township, Guizhou Province, China.

When my mother learned about the flooding in Guizhou, she immediately returned to her hometown. During the summer break, I saw on her phone that villages near her hometown were suffering from severe river pollution. I then decided to spend my holiday traveling to the affected area to conduct an investigation, documenting all my findings on film.

The desperate complaints of villagers in Qiantao Township about the pollution of the Laobang River form the core content of this documentary. Guided by local residents, I conducted an on-site undercover investigation and collected samples of polluted water and sludge, which I brought back to Shanghai for laboratory analysis.

Although the surface water pollution of the Laobang River in Qiantao Township appears to have been temporarily addressed, the river sediment—contaminated over a period of 17 years—remains severely polluted.

This research led me to reflect: In 2025, why do cases still occur in China where industrial pollution contaminates domestic water sources? If the Laobang River were located in Shanghai rather than Qiantao Township, Guizhou, would this drinking water crisis have persisted for 17 years?
*All individuals featured in this documentary have given their informed consent for the use of their likeness.