Synopsis
 In this documentary we follow five very smart Chinese students through their final high-pressure year at an elite high school in Chongqing, a megalopolis in central China. They are competing, together with 10,5 million students all over the country, for a limited amount of spots at Beijing\'s top two universities. Studying from 7.10 AM till 10.30 PM, 6 days a week, the students’ lives are regimented almost every minute of the day as they prepare for the end-of-year exam that can determine their fate. For many students from poor or rural backgrounds, a strong performance on the test is the only way to climb the social ladder and excel without connections.
 
 Program Note
 The tight time table runs from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For the students, the program at the boarding high school is excruciating. The school’s only goal is a high ratio of students admitted to top class universities. The students get up at dusk and while still half asleep start their day reading books that are stacked to the ceiling; a strange sight yet so familiar. High school life in 21st century China is not very different from that in Korea. Students and their parents’ dream about their bright future, made possible by capitalism, economic growth and upward mobility gained by graduating from top-tier universities. This is seconded by the nation’s desire to vertake the United States economically and politically when at last these students get their chance to lead the country. As a result of all this, getting into universities has become a burning issue in China. This film features 5 of the smartest students in China who attend a prestigious private school. The calmly detached way that the Dutch director-who is not very familiar with the entrance exam system-tells the story makes harsh reality more vividly felt. The film holds a mirror up to reflect our past, present, and future as we Koreans have similarly lived in such an environment. (Jay SOHN)