A human-interest film

[Spoilers] It is great to see a posting which shows such enthusiasm for this tremendously interesting film. I am puzzled by responses that seem to down-play what an achievement the film is; I wonder about whether the critics are able to appreciate what a rare treasure the film is.
The film documents a rare moment in China’s modern history: a time when the ‘ordinary’ ‘lowly’ people must interface with how their country grapples with huge development issues. The director has given us a rare and valuable close insight into the processes that are occurring because of China’s modernisation plans. The film has so many astounding facets: the fate of the landless hoi-polloi, with the parents' epic struggle to survive economically; the dynamism of the father as he shifts furniture unaided; the cruel result when poverty denies the girl the chance to further her education; the expectation that spare money from her work will be channelled back to the family; the way in which consumerism is dangled as a worthwhile goal for the girl and her quizzical judgement about this; the relentless rise of the river and the dramas this creates; the questions posed about the current directions of the Chinese polity. All in all, the film is fascinating on so many levels, and is both an intellectual and human-interest pleasure to watch.
(As an aside: I wish the film producers had taken some action to help, or which would help, the girl further her education - she generously exposed herself during the making of the film and this could be an apt reward. I feel sure that a public fund would be well supported.)