Ep 13. Last Train Home by Lixin Fan

Last Train Home is the thirteenth episode of the twenty-fourth season of the PBS documentary series POV. Filmed by Lixin Fan, the episode follows a migrant couple who live in a rural village in China and work in a garment factory in the city. The episode explores the couple's struggle to balance work and family life during the annual Chinese New Year migration, a time when millions of Chinese workers travel home to celebrate with their families.

The documentary provides a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of the migrant workers and the challenges they face. The couple, Changhua and Sugin, left their children and rural village to pursue better job opportunities in the city. They work long hours in a factory to provide for their family, but their time is limited and they cannot return home often. The New Year holiday offers them a brief respite from work, but also creates the stressful task of getting home to see their family.

The episode starts with long lines of people moving through train stations, desperately trying to find a way to get home. Changhua and Sugin are among the many waiting in the densely packed train station, anxiously waiting for a train to take them home. The filmmaker presents an intimate portrait of the couple's lives through their conversations with family members back home and their reflections on how the yearly migration takes a toll on their lives.

The documentary highlights the tension between the young couple as Sugin suggests finding new jobs to get better pay and Changhua argues they should keep their existing job and avoid taking risks. Their differences stem from their own personal experiences in life; Sugin being an optimistic resonator and Changhua being the cautious realist. Fan showcases how the couple's conversations reflect the larger issue of the generational gap in China which is steadily growing with economic opportunities varying for different age groups.

The filmmaker also portrays the complex emotions of the couple's families, who are both longing for their children to return home while harboring resentment for their absence and the realization that their children may not return home for another year. This is seen through contrasting viewpoints as Changhua's father blaming her for not visiting while being very understanding whereas Sugin's father being limited in understanding and expressing his unwillingness to be alive before seeing his son before painting a bleak image of loneliness on screen.

The flow of the documentary shifts from a gradual pace to a fast-paced one as the Lunar New Year approaches, and the couple finally board a train to their hometown in rush-hour and Fan's visuals capturing the sheer volume of the people travelling on similar trains feeling both claustrophobic and evocative at the same time which makes audiences aware of the spectacle that is this yearly holiday migration in China. The joyous reunion with the children and the overwhelming love they feel was portrayed in a raw and real form editing wise with warm tones emanating love and affection.

The documentary delves into the realities and sacrifices of people who contribute to China's now-booming economy but must surrender their personal lives and family to do so. It presents a raw reality of Chinese life through the perspective of this hardworking family.

Overall, Last Train Home is a touching and powerful documentary that presents an intimate look into the lives of a migrant couple in China and the challenges they face during the yearly migration to their hometown. The documentary takes audiences into a deep dive of life during the Lunar New Year and offers glimpses of how both love and tension operate amongst families and their children's generation gap. The documentary provides an authentic and intimate portrayal of China's migrant population and their struggles.