In May 2008, the ground in China's Sichuan province shuddered and cracked open. Buildings, roads and lives were torn apart in seconds.The massive earthquake would leave over 80,000 dead or missing and millions homeless. China's Earthquake: The People in the Pictures tells the story of four people who lives have been changed forever by this disaster — a young reporter, a nine-year-old hero, a schoolgirl who lost her leg after being buried alive, and one of the many parents whose children died in a poorly constructed school.

The Sichuan earthquake was a story of extraordinary human drama. It was also an event of worldwide political significance. China presented a new face to the world through the media coverage, openness to international aid, and sympathy from its leaders and people for the quake's victims. Did the Sichuan earthquake mark the beginning of a new China of greater openness and freedom? What is the future for the survivors of Sichuan? Through the stories of the people who lived it, the documentary looks at those questions.

Gemini Award (2009): Best History Documentary Program