The new China rises above its citizens in "24 City."

There’s probably no contemporary director who is telling the story of his or her nation as well as Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke. Zhangke, who made the Afflictor Top 20 Films of the Aughts list with his visionary 2004 drama The World, has the distinct advantage of living in one of the most fascinating places on Earth at a time of great upheaval, but his storytelling chops, his eye for composition and his stellar work with actors would serve him well anywhere.

24 City isn’t a sprawling, large-scale masterwork like The World, but it similarly examines the ramifications of the Chinese government forging forward with rapid cultural modernization. The current transformation may be a lot less bloody than Mao’s Cultural Revolution, but it’s no less discombobulating to the people

The title refers to the name of a five-star hotel that is to replace Factory 420, a real aeronautics complex in the Chengdu province that has been home to hundreds of people for decades. 420 wasn’t just a place to punch a clock; it was a full-blown community with grade schools, cinemas and basketball courts. Against the background of their community being demolished, former workers are interviewed about their memories of their lives there.

These interviews are a mixture of documentary-like Q&As with actual workers and fictional inquiries with actors portraying workers. This odd blend of fiction and nonfiction helps Zhangke create the unsettling affect he seeks. And despite China being like no other place on the planet right now, these reminiscences have a universal feel, perhaps because whether they’re state-sponsored or not, unexpected upheavals are a part of all our lives.