China doesn’t have a lot of room anymore for peddlers like Su. He set up a ramshackle restaurant next to a construction site on 24th street in Hangzhou, but of course he neglected to obtain a permit. Unsurprisingly, the authorities send him and the other illegal dwellers away. Unfazed, Su and his girlfriend Qin find another place for their restaurant, only to be sent away again. Su then decides to go back home to the countryside, where his wife and children, along with Qin’s family, still live. After being away for 30 years, the couple isn't exactly welcomed back with open arms. Filmmaker Zhiqi Pan usually observes Su and Qin’s adventures without comment, but does step in on occasion, such as when the unscrupulous Su is trying to cheat people. With its colorful main character, 24th Street offers an original twist to the story of modernizing China—and those on the fringe who can’t keep up.

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