Mama's Gold: The Orphans of Shangri-La (2003)

MAMA'S GOLD is a heartfelt story of one woman (China Mama) and her 300 ethnic orphans, aged from 2 to 17 years old, many who are survivors of the devastating earthquakes and poverty that struck southwest China in 1996 and 1998. Seen through the close observation of the orphanage's daily life and juxtaposed with the filmmaker's visit to the children's original villages deep in the mountains, the film reveals the painful healing process of orphans struggling to cope with the psychological scars of their past. Paralleled in the film, and against the backdrop of China in the midst of a historical transformation is the conflict China Mama has with her one time friend/donor from the United States, consequently resulting in an unsettling lawsuit that threatens to close the orphanage. MAMA's GOLD makes direct comment on survival, loneliness and the universal struggle in face of great challenges.