Disturbing the Peace

Aj Wej-wej. Using a handheld camera and a mobile telephone, on 12 August 2008 Ai Weiwei recorded the intimidation of witnesses during the trial of activist Tan Zuoren, arrested for “inciting the subversion of state power”. Following the earthquake in Sichuan province, during which several thousand school buildings collapsed and thousands of children were killed, Zuoren had tried to uncover the corruption of government officials and to publish the true number of victims, which the government had attempted to keep secret. The witnesses and Zuoren’s supporters experience night-time visits by the police, violent detention, intimidation, and beatings. Ai Weiwei, too, becomes a target of the attacks. (Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival)