A version of this story about “Ascension” first appeared in the Documentaries issue of TheWrap magazine.
“China is a Rorschach test,” director Jessica Kingdon said of her buzzy new documentary “Ascension,” an impressionistic tone poem about the world’s most populous nation.
The film tells the story of China’s economic ladder – not with data and statistics, but with stunning visuals and eye-opening anecdotes, including an ironic, serene visit to a sex doll factory.
TheWrap sat down with Kingdon to discuss her approach to the material.
How did the structure of “Ascension” take shape?
Originally, my idea was to have title cards separating the sections of the films.