The Chinese Mayor

The Chinese Mayor (), original title Datong (大同), is a 2015 documentary that follows Datong mayor Geng Yanbo's efforts to transform one of China's most polluted cities into a cultural destination, in large part by displacing 500,000 residents (about 200,000 homes demolished) to reconstruct the 14th century Ming Dynasty walls of the Old City. The documentary addresses issues including urbanization processes, hukou, and local government debt.

Premiere The film's American premiere occurred at the Sundance Festival, where it was awarded a "Special Jury Award for Unparalleled Access"

Accolades +Date of ceremonyAwardCategoryRecipient(s)Result2015Sundance Film FestivalSpecial Jury Prize – DocumentaryZhou HaoWonGrand Jury Prize – DocumentaryZhou HaoNominated2015Asia Pacific Screen AwardsBest Documentary Feature FilmZhao QiWon2015Golden Horse Film FestivalBest DocumentaryWon2015Little Rock Film FestivalJury Prize – Cinematic Non-fictionZhou HaoNominated2015RiverRun International Film FestivalBest Documentary FeatureZhou HaoWon

Reviews The film received favorable reviews, but as of the summer of 2015 the film was still seeking an American distribution partner. In the US, the film can be rented on YouTube. On 10 February 2019, BBC World News televised the documentary.

References