Arquivo

Director Zhang Yuan filmed this documentary on request of Li Yang, a daring, controversial teacher of English who sees in language learning a means towards a change in life style. Fascinated by this symbol of transformation in China and because, three years before, he had established film production studios of his own, Zhang Yuan accepted the challenge. Li Yang is a teacher of English who has now, for ten years, travelled the breadth of China with his daring method of learning based on gesticulating. He gives classes to thousands of people in the most unexpected of settings ranging from The Forbidden City to The Wall of China, moving on from the Marco Polo Bridge through stadiums and universities. The years go by, and shy Li Yang becomes a charismatic public speaker that renders mass teaching (Crazy English) a means of self-affirmation. He has his students shout out sentences in English to overcome any inhibition. He becomes a kind of apostle of political doctrine based on capitalism and on personal success. "Make international money! Make money out of the foreigners!", he proclaims to his students. "This is the American dream, and I want it also to be the Chinese dream!" To him, learning English takes on the tones of patriotic revenge: "What is the most concrete means to showing love for your country? To start the twenty-first century qualified, mentally and physically strong. To learn English well".