Triads, the Chinese mafia conquering the world
Written and directed by Antoine Vitkine
The most powerful mafia organizations in the world, the legendary Chinese triads are shrouded in mystery. How did these criminal organizations, which emerged three centuries ago, come to have such a profound impact on Chinese history? Why are they now establishing themselves on every continent? What is their relationship with the Chinese government? For months, Antoine Vitkine filmed members of the triads, from rank-and-file soldiers to fearsome godfathers. This breathtaking documentary series plunges, for the first time, into the heart of the Triad universe. It reveals their influence on the global economy and geopolitics.
Episode 1 - Birth of an Octopus
Appearing in the 17th century as «secret societies», the triads gradually evolved into criminal organizations. Western colonization represented a tremendous opportunity for them. Following the «opium wars», they took part in drug trafficking and grew rich. They became powerful enough to influence the founding of the Republic of China. After the Second World War, Mao's rise to power forced the triads to leave the country. But they didn't go far: to Taiwan and Hong Kong, where they lived out their golden years...
Episode 2 - Chinese Eldorado
The retrocession of Hong Kong and Macao to China offered the triads the opportunity to make a pact with their old Communist enemy. They support the government in return for a substantial share in the country's economic development. Although they are officially repressed in mainland China, the Chinese Communist Party is keen on their money and entrepreneurial spirit. The gangsters, who were too conspicuous, gave way to more discreet businessmen. But the triads end up representing a danger for Xi Jinping's China.
Episode 3 - Serving the Red Empire
Xi Jinping wants to make his country the world's leading power. To continue enriching themselves, the triads must serve his ambitions. They support his policies in Taiwan and Hong Kong, prosper along the Silk Roads, set up lawless zones in Southeast Asia, establish themselves in the Pacific and infiltrate Western economies. It's no coincidence that the port of Vancouver is the gateway to a drug, fentanyl, which is ravaging North America. Triads evolve over time, but, deeply rooted in Chinese society, they are not about to disappear...
Directed by: Antoine Vitkine
Written by: Antoine Vitkine
Production: YAMI 2 - Christophe Nick and Antoine Boukobza
Broadcaster: ARTE
Year of release: 2023
Duration: 3 x 60 min, 6 x 30 min and 90 min
This might sound like one of Hong Kong director Johnnie To's most captivating gangster films, but it's reality. In a three-part investigation, Antoine Vitkine leads a breathtaking plunge into the mysterious world of the triads. - Le Monde
Antoine Vitkine explores this complex subject with an impressive sense of storytelling and clarity. He interweaves staggering archive footage and extracts from Hong Kong action films glorifying local gangsters, and reveals, beneath the flamboyant window-dressing, the chilling reality of trafficking (drugs, prostitution, rackets...), ultra-violence and threatened democracies. - Télérama.fr
Captivating, embodied and taken around the world, his documentary is exceptional because it goes back to the origins of the movement in the 17th century and quickly focuses on the lucrative activities of these groups. - Libération
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