# Ascension (film)

Ascension (Chinese: 登楼叹; pinyin: Dēnglóu tàn) is a 2021 American documentary film directed and produced by Jessica Kingdon. It follows the pursuit of the Chinese dream through the social classes, prioritizing productivity and innovation.
The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2021, where it won Best Documentary Feature. It was released on October 8, 2021, by MTV Documentary Films.

## Synopsis

The film follows the Chinese dream through the social classes, prioritizing productivity and innovation.

## Production

Initially, Jessica Kingdon planned on making a trilogy of short films focusing on the cycle of production, consumption and waste, however, it was difficult to secure funding for a series, and instead decided to develop the trilogy into a feature film. Kingdon wanted to make a film about capitalism and how it affects viewers in their own countries, and did not want to specifically single out China. Production on the film took place in 51 locations throughout China. The title of the film originates from a poem written by Jessica Kingdon's great-grandfather.

## Release

The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2021, where it won Best Documentary Feature and the Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director. On September 26, 2021, the film had its European premiere at the Zurich Film Festival, where it was entered in the competition for best documentary film.
In August 2021, it was announced MTV Documentary Films had acquired distribution rights to the film, and set it for an October 8, 2021, release.

## Reception
### Critical reception

Ascension received positive reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 98% approval rating based on reviews from 44 critics, with an average rating of 7.90/10. On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 82 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

### Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | March 27, 2022 | Best Documentary Feature | Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy, and Nathan Truesdell | Nominated |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | January 25, 2022 | Best Documentary | Ascension | Nominated |
| Cinema Eye Honors | March 1, 2022 | Outstanding Non-Fiction Feature Feature | Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy, and Nathan Truesdell | Nominated |
| Cinema Eye Honors | March 1, 2022 | Outstanding Direction | Jessica Kingdon | Nominated |
| Cinema Eye Honors | March 1, 2022 | Outstanding Debut | Jessica Kingdon | Won |
| Cinema Eye Honors | March 1, 2022 | Outstanding Cinematography | Jessica Kingdon and Nathan Truesdell | Won |
| Cinema Eye Honors | March 1, 2022 | Outstanding Original Score | Dan Deacon | Won |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 14, 2021 | Best Documentary Feature | Ascension | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 14, 2021 | Best Director | Jessica Kingdon | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 14, 2021 | Best First Documentary Feature | Jessica Kingdon | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 14, 2021 | Best Score | Dan Deacon | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 14, 2021 | Best Cinematography | Jessica Kingdon and Nathan Truesdell | Nominated |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | November 14, 2021 | Best Editing | Jessica Kingdon | Nominated |
| Denver Film Festival | November 15, 2021 | Special Mention Best Documentary | Ascension | Won |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | March 12, 2022 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentaries | Jessica Kingdon | Nominated |
| Gotham Awards | November 29, 2021 | Best Documentary | Ascension | Nominated |
| Hamptons International Film Festival | October 11, 2021 | Best Documentary Feature | Ascension | Won |
| IDA Documentary Awards | March 4, 2022 | Best Cinematography | Jessica Kingdon and Nathan Truesdell | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | March 6, 2022 | Best Documentary Feature | Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy, and Nathan Truesdell | Nominated |
| National Board of Review Awards | December 2, 2021 | Top 5 Documentaries | Ascension | Won |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | March 19, 2022 | Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures | Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy, and Nathan Truesdell | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | April 2, 2022 | Best Motion Picture, Documentary | Ascension | Nominated |
| Tribeca Film Festival | June 24, 2021 | Best Documentary Feature | Ascension | Won |
| Tribeca Film Festival | June 24, 2021 | Albert Maysles Award | Jessica Kingdon | Won |