Ben Mullinkosson’s The Last Year of Darkness (2023) provides a vivid exploration of the lives of young (primarily) queer individuals in Chengdu, China. The high-contrast film centres on Funky Town, an underground nightclub that serves as a sanctuary for its patrons amidst the march of urban redevelopment outside its walls. Through this lens, Mullinkosson captures the intersection of personal identity and broader socio-economic shifts, shedding light on the impact of gentrification and capitalist pressures on marginalized communities and organic cultures. After screening at several international festivals, awarded a special jury prize at 2024 CPH:DOX, The Last Year of Darkness recently screened in competition at the sixth IceDocs – Iceland Documentary Film Festival.
Vibrant metropolis
Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, boasts a history that spans over 2,300 years. The city has been a significant cultural and commercial hub throughout various dynasties, including the Qin, Han, and Tang. In modern times, Chengdu has evolved into a bustling metropolis known for its vibrant cultural scene. Today, it is one of China’s premier «Special Economic Zones,» the country’s IT hub, and home to most universities in Western China. The city’s rapid urbanisation and economic development have made it a focal point of China’s westward expansion, embodying the tensions between preserving cultural heritage and embracing modernisation. Despite this juxtaposition, Chengdu has been deemed the happiest city in China for over a decade and a half and a primary point of international business investment. But, as the film and countless real-world examples of «development» worldwide show, these statistics come at various personal costs.
as the film and countless real-world examples of «development» worldwide show, these statistics come at various personal costs.
Funky Town
At its core, The Last Year of Darkness is a tribute to Funky Town, a vibrant nightclub hidden behind gargantuan construction sites and soon to be obliterated by the development of a new metro station. The club’s smoky, neon-lit interiors pulsate with life as much as they do with the industrial sounds of techno music—perhaps the only thing that can drown out pervasive construction noise pollution. This interior vivacity starkly contrasts with a dystopian exterior of impersonal, sterile cranes and construction machinery ever encroaching on its existence.
Funky Town is more than just a nightclub; it is a nightly refuge from the pressures of late capitalism. The club’s patrons use the space to escape societal demands and economic uncertainties, seeking solace in hedonistic pleasures amidst pervasive stress. Fredric Jameson argues that late capitalism commodifies every aspect of life, leading to environments where escape and consumption become two primary modes of engagement. This escapism is central to the film and its protagonists’ existential health.
Mullinkosson employs a fly-on-the-wall approach, interspersing candid interviews with semi-constructed scenes peppered with moments of joy, doubt, vulnerability, deep conversations, and the occasional vomit session. The film follows several central characters, including Yihao, a drag performer grappling with his queer identity and societal expectations, and Kimberly, a traditional musician battling self-esteem and mental health issues. There are also non-Chinese nationals in the fray, like Russian DJ Gema, an expat navigating his own tumultuous sexual identity, double-swiping Tinder and Grindr before hitting the dancefloor.
Yihao’s journey, in particular, stands out. His dramatic David Bowie-inspired drag performances, juxtaposed with his tearful admissions of feeling like a «failed middle school student,» offer the most transparent look into the highs and lows of life with a queer identity in modern China. Similarly, Kimberly’s demure performances on the zither contrast with her fuelled, suicide-contemplating nightlife escapades. Each provides the film’s most emotional scenes and a reminder that China’s still-rigid social traditionalism does not discriminate against gender, sexuality or class.
Duality in Darkness
Mullinkosson, an American filmmaker immersed in Chengdu’s local scene for over a decade, brings a perspective that blends insider knowledge with outsider observation. This duality enriches The Last Year of Darkness, incorporating Western cultural elements, such as electronic music and drag, within a distinctly Chinese setting. Anyone privy to the exploits of underground clubbing can also see how the culture of China differs from that of the West. For instance, the distinct lack of hard drug use (albeit, perhaps hidden away from Mullkinsson’s camera). There is also no VIP area or selective door policy, both consistently contentious Western clubbing points. Without the mind-alteration and focus on exclusivity, Funky Town embodies a true cultural refuge for the weary social outcast. Something even the most respected nightlife institutions of London, Amsterdam, Berlin, New York, and Ibiza have long since abandoned. The result is more organic, honest conversations, far from the prison of social clout chasing.
Through tender moments and chaotic revelry, Mullinkosson portrays a universal truth about self-discovery and the transient nature of youth. Existing somewhere between Kokomo City (dir. D. Smith) and Ascension (dir. Jessica Kingdon), the film becomes a poignant ode to the ephemeral yet profound connections forged in these oft-fleeting spaces, reminding us of the vital importance of cultural sanctuaries amidst relentless urban development.
