Ecopolis China

Finnish filmmaker Anna-Karin Grönroos turns her camera on two efforts to bring green building projects to China. One is helmed by Helsinki-based engineer Eero Paloheimo, who envisions an energy-efficient “Eco Valley” in a rural town originally designed to be a model village during the early years of Mao's Communist rule. The second endeavor is being promoted by Zhang Yue, a Chinese millionaire business mogul who advocates for a 200-plus-story “Sky City” tower that would be energy-efficient and luxurious. But both projects hit various obstacles, with Paloheimo running into bureaucratic delays and financing problems while Zhang is confronted with a plethora of engineering difficulties. Although both men—and, by extension, their Chinese government benefactors—deserve praise for attempting to bring a green hue to China's residential environment, the film sometimes feels like a propaganda piece. One line within the narration assures the viewer that “China will lead humanity to a better future,” while Paloheimo bemoans the impracticality of democracy for handling a crisis situation. It also doesn't help that the film includes a tinny and too-loud music score, as well as tiny English subtitles that are sometimes unreadable. Despite these flaws, this is still an interesting look at the interplay of economics, environmental concerns, and politics in modern-day China. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)