Die Häuser des Mr. Wong

Directed by Christian Schidlowski

In Shanghai, a teeming anthill of humanity, the future is fighting the past. In only a few years 2000 new high-rises have replaced vast parts of the old town. The traditional Chinese architecture is gradually extinct - if it weren't for the multi-millionaire Jeffrey Wong. The Canadian overseas Chinese has returned to Shanghai to save what's left of his mother country's historic buildings. Secretly, the millionaire acquires beautiful old houses, temples and pagodas. In clandestine operations his workers take them apart at night - stone by stone, tile by tile, always wary of disapproving government officials. Now he has started to rebuild his collection of 150 buildings as a "heritage village". Mr. Wong's World is the story of an unusual vision and an insightful portrait of modern China.