Shenzhen – November 03, 2026 -- A new documentary, Shenzhen: People Who Build the Future, follows seven residents of the Chinese metropolis and is guided by two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Malcolm Clarke, who writes and narrates it.
Seven people carry the story of the city
The film skips the familiar skylines and the headline economic growth. Instead, it presents the city through seven individuals from different generations, whose personal journeys define Shenzhen's pulse.
The lineup spans the early builders who laid the city's groundwork, tech dreamers working on supercars and robotics, international educators, and artists who carry Chinese culture abroad.
Clarke's perspective shapes the film
The documentary focuses on the resilience, grit, and imagination of a place where the future is built by hand rather than only envisioned. Clarke narrates throughout, giving the film a single guiding voice.
The project is a collaboration between Shenzhen Media Group and Malcolm Clarke.