Synopsis for
"Frontline" Young & Restless in China (2008)

Making It follows the lives of nine Chinese Gen Xers as they scramble to keep pace with a society changing faster than any in history. Raised under communism they are now making their way in China's blazing capitalist economy. Shot over a 4-year period, the film tracks four wildly ambitious graduates, a media savvy hip hop artist, two migrant workers living precariously on societys edge, a dedicated medical resident and a courageous environmental activist.

What happens along the way is surprising: some find themselves torn between traditional culture and tantalizing new opportunities; several begin the ride to the upper echelons of wealth and power. Some find love and resolve family conflicts and others seem likely to crash and burn along the way.

Making It is buoyed by a driving sound track of Chinese rock and hip hop music and scenes of Chinese life rarely seen in the West. As we watch these young people work, hang out with family and friends, sing karaoke or launch their first business, we come to know them in a rare, intimate way. Their stories of ambition, exuberance, crime and corruption are interwoven with moments of love, heartbreak and passion. The film reveals not just the differences that often separate our two cultures but also the experiences that bind us.