Ms. Hu's Garden

Over $23 billion has been invested in developing Chongqing, China—fueling one of the country’s fastest and most dramatic urban transformations. Amid this sweeping change, the film follows Ms. Hu, a long-time resident of the city’s old quarter, for ten years. In her small, modest home, she runs a crowded workers’ hostel, offering shelter to those on the margins of the city’s progress. In her spare time, she roams the streets collecting discarded objects—pieces of the city left behind—which she lovingly transforms into vibrant, whimsical installations in her garden. These handmade creations become quiet acts of resilience, reflecting the strength, ingenuity, and quiet determination of a petite woman holding her ground as skyscrapers and concrete giants rise around her.