Watch One Child Nation

One Child Nation is a powerful and emotional documentary film exploring China's one-child policy, which was in place from 1979 to 2015. The film is directed by Nanfu Wang, who was born in China and now lives in the United States. The film is structured around several interviews with people who directly or indirectly experienced the one-child policy. Wang interviews her own family members, as well as former officials responsible for enforcing the policy, parents who lost their children due to the policy, and a midwife who performed forced sterilizations and abortions.

Through these interviews, the film shows the human toll of the policy, which was designed to curb population growth and improve economic prospects. For many families, having a second child meant fines, forced abortions, or even the demolition of their homes. Wang's own family was affected by the policy, as her parents were forced to give her up for adoption when they were unable to pay the financial penalty for having a second child.

One of the most powerful aspects of the film is its exploration of the ways in which the one-child policy has affected the cultural and social fabric of China. By limiting families to one child, the policy has created a generation of only children who must carry the hopes and dreams of their parents and grandparents. The film also shows how the policy has led to a preference for male children, as families seek to ensure their family name will continue. This has led to a range of problems, including a gender imbalance and increased pressure on boys to succeed.

Wang also explores how the one-child policy has affected Chinese society's relationship with death and mourning. Traditionally, death is seen as a natural part of life, but the one-child policy has made death a deeply taboo subject. This is because the loss of an only child is seen as a tragedy that cannot be overcome. The film shows how this has led to a range of cultural practices, including the creation of ghost marriages, where the parents of the deceased find a spouse for their child's spirit.

Throughout the film, Wang also explores the ways in which the Chinese government has controlled and manipulated the narrative about the one-child policy. For example, the government has tried to frame the policy as a success, arguing that it prevented 400 million births and helped improve economic development. The film shows how this narrative has ignored the human cost of the policy and ignored the many ways in which families have been affected by it.

One Child Nation is a deeply moving and thought-provoking film that raises important questions about the relationship between individual choice and government control. The film's use of personal stories and interviews helps to humanize a policy that has often been discussed in abstract terms. The film is both a powerful indictment of the one-child policy and a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.

Overall, One Child Nation is a must-see film for anyone interested in China, human rights, or reproductive justice. Its impact is likely to be felt for years to come, as more and more people become aware of the devastating effects of the one-child policy.

One Child Nation is a 2019 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 85.