Documentary
United States of America
One Child Nation is a documentary film that explores the devastating impact of China's one-child policy, which was in place from 1979 to 2015. The policy restricted most couples to only having one child in an effort to curb overpopulation. Through interviews with victims and instigators, filmmaker Nanfu Wang sheds light on the forced sterilizations, abortions, and confiscation of children that occurred under the policy.
The film begins by addressing Wang's personal connection to the one-child policy, as she was born in China during its implementation and her own family was impacted by it. From there, she speaks to individuals who were directly affected by the policy, such as women who underwent forced sterilizations and abortions, families whose children were taken away and placed for adoption, and individuals who had to make heartbreaking choices about which child to keep.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the policy was the government's enforcement of it, which involved propaganda campaigns, fines for families who had more than one child, and even the use of brute force. The film also delves into the implications of the policy, such as gender imbalance, where male children were preferred, leading to a rise in sex-selective abortions and abandonment of female infants.
Overall, One Child Nation is a powerful and necessary film that exposes the grim reality of a government policy that caused immeasurable pain and trauma for millions of individuals and families.
