Senior Research Seminar with Adam Smith (University of Cambridge)

Hidden among mountains – seemingly far from the crowds, pollution and bureaucracy of Beijing - a Wild West-themed gated community promises to provide an American utopia of freedom, happiness, and prosperity to its several thousand Chinese residents.

In Americaville, we spend an eventful 2 years in Jackson Hole with characters who set out to live their interpretation of the American dream, only to find it fraught with unexpected complications. After widespread criticism from the Chinese media and feeling pressure from new breeds of nationalism radiating out from both the Chinese and American governments, the community becomes split between those who cling to the American dream and those who seek to reclaim their Chinese national identity within this idyll.

Director, co-producer, and editor: Adam James Smith
Co-producers: Qi Zhang, Wang Qihan, Wei Guang, Song Ke, Tang Yi
Music: Rob Scales
Academic Advisor: Rupert Stasch, University of Cambridge

Please see the website about the film for more details: www.americavillefilm.com