Dong

The film follows Jia Zhangke as he accompanies painter Liu Xiaodong from China to Thailand. They engage with workers facing social turmoil, providing a poignant look at the human condition amid labor struggles. Liu Xiaodong's artwork, particularly influenced by the Three Gorges Dam project, serves as a focal point for the film's exploration of dehumanization in labor.

In Fengjie, China, the city is on the brink of flooding due to the Yangtze River, and Liu captures the essence of the workers involved in this transformation. The documentary then shifts to Bangkok, where Liu paints Thai sex workers in brothels. These contrasting subjects highlight a shared sense of malaise, emphasizing the emotional weight of labor across different cultures and settings.