Ascension (2021)

"This aestheticization of Chinese society doesn’t exactly sit well with this viewer: one wonders if this counts as a kind of tourism."

"There is no narration. There are no interviews. Just rote, monotonous activity — a recipe for repetitive stress injury — and the occasional fly-on-the-wall conversation..."

"It empowers Chinese citizens while also shining a light on the exploitation and oppression they face in the workplace and job market."

"As engrossing as it’s alarming, the documentary flows with a stream of consciousness about the illusion of the “Chinese Dream.”"

"Part of the film’s genius is in how the images are put together, sometimes to absurd effect, at other times unnervingly."

"Through her unfussy direction and sly editing, Kingdon’s collection of vignettes is a reminder that the destructively frenzied cycle of consumption and waste always trickles down."

"A fascinating, universal story of inequality and class division, revealing a country that feels more like a capitalist society than anyone’s idea of a Communist state."

"Presented with no narrative and limited structure, Ascension is a collection of breathtaking images and revelatory vignettes..."