A historic gathering of over 50 African heads of state in Beijing reverberates in Zambia where the lives of three characters unfold. Mr Liu is one of thousands of Chinese entrepreneurs who have settled across the continent in search of new opportunities. He has just bought his fourth farm and business is booming. In northern Zambia, Mr Li, a project manager for a multinational Chinese company is upgrading the country’s longest road. Pressure to complete the road on time intensifies when funds from the Zambian government start running out. Meanwhile Zambia’s Trade Minister is on route to China to secure millions of dollars of investment. Through the intimate portrayal of these characters, the expanding footprint of a rising global power is laid bare – pointing to a radically different future, not just for Africa, but also for the world.
Nick and Marc Francis are award-winning filmmakers whose films have been released in cinemas and on television globally. They were chosen by Harper’s Bazaar magazine as one of their “household names of the future”, and named by the Observer Newspaper as one of Britain’s rising stars. Their latest film, When China Met Africa is a co-production with BBC Storyville and ARTE France. Previously, they directed and co-produced Black Gold, which received critical acclaim internationally.
Black Gold (2006), When China Met Africa (2010)
