Directed by Zhou Hao, the 2014 documentary 'The Chinese Mayor' closely chronicles Geng Yanbo, the controversial mayor of Datong, and his radical plan to revitalize the northern China city. The ancient capital of the Northern Wei dynasty some 1,600 years ago, Datong became China's coal mining capital in modern times, and the country's most unsightly and polluted industrial city. Faced with the party's demands for reform, Geng Yanbo decided to revive Datong through demolition and development. His plan: to demolish over 100,000 homes and relocate half a million people in order to make space to restore the city's ancient walls and build a new cultural heritage site that could help sustain Datong's future. His grand vision met with fierce opposition from displaced residents, but he pushed on against the risks and criticism. Is Geng working for the people or for himself? Is his costly project saving the city or destroying it?
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