“China – The 21st Century” at World Travel Series

For 10 years, filmmaker Buddy Hatton asked Chinese bureaucrats for permission to film a travel documentary in their country. He always received the same answer – no.

Then, early in the new century, the doorway into China opened from a small crack into a genuine entranceway. These same government officials approached Mr. Hatton and asked if he was still interested in the project.

He jumped at the chance. “China – The 21st Century,” the result of over a dozen visits to this massive and diverse country, is a stunning visual composition of historic landmarks, natural scenery and the rituals of daily life inside one of the world’s most fascinating nations.

Mr. Hatton will screen and discuss “China – The 21st Century” in King Concert Hall on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. as the second event in Rockefeller Arts Center’s 2006-2007 World Travel Series.  Tickets will be available at the door and one child 12 or younger will be admitted free with each adult ticket purchase. The 2006-2007 World Travel Series is sponsored by TLC Health Network.

“I have always had a great interest in China,” Mr. Hatton said in a recent telephone interview. “I have always been fascinated by the culture.”

“China —The 21st Century” delves deep into the heart of some of the nation’s most visited destinations. The film explores the streets of Beijing, where constant urban renewal has not overshadowed such historical artifacts as the gorgeous Summer Palace or the Great Wall of China. In Shanghai, Mr. Hatton marvels at what he describes as “the most modern city on earth — it looks like something out of the 25th century.”

History buffs will enjoy Mr. Hatton’s in-depth look at Xi’an, home to the legendary army of terra cotta warriors said to protect China’s first emperor in the afterlife. Gourmands will appreciate the images of Chinese delicacies. Naturalists will be awed by the dramatic scenery captured along the banks of the Yangtze River — and saddened, perhaps, by the Chinese government’s controversial hydroelectric plans for the majestic body of water.

Some may still stereotype China as a nation of impoverished peasants. “China —The 21st Century” can change that outdated image very quickly.

“There is a growing middle class in China, and they have a lot of money to spend,” Mr. Hatton said. “This country is changing at an incredible rate, and that change is happening every day.”

The World Travel Series will continue with Steve McCurdy’s “Postcards from Italy” on Saturday, Feb. 24 and Clint Denn’s “Great Parks of the West” on Saturday, March 31. Both events will begin at 7:30 p.m. in King Concert Hall.