Set against the backdrop of China's Three Gorges Dam project, which aims to harness the power of the Yangtze River to help meet the country's growing need for electricity, Up the Yangtze examines the climate of political and social change in China through the lives of two young people. The project, due to be completed in 2009, is touted by the government as serving the need for more electricity, while at the same time alleviating the death toll caused when the river floods. But progress is never completely without cost; some two million people, many of them already living in extreme poverty, are being displaced by the dam as the waters rise.

As they say at the start of the Indianapolis 500: "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Sundance's first deal has been announced: indieWIRE is reporting that Zeitgeist Films has acquired Up the Yangtze, a documentary by debut director Yung Chang about the Three Gorges Dam in China and its devastating effect upon the country.

According to the film's official site, the doc revolves around a woman named Yu Shui. She takes a job on a ship that will cruise the river, "part of the strange apocalyptic tourist trade that thrives along the river, offering a final glimpse of a legendary world before it disappears forever." The shy woman must compete for her work against more outgoing show-offs and endure crowded, cramped conditions in the bowels of the ship, even as Western tourists luxuriate on the upper decks. Meanwhile, her family prepares to leave the only home they have ever known: their village will soon disappear under the rising waters created by the Three Gorges Dam.

Up the Yangtze was named Best Canadian Documentary when it played at the Vancouver festival last fall, and also received good notices when it played more recently at IDFA. The doc will have its US Premiere tomorrow (Friday) at Sundance, and Zeitgest plans an April theatrical release. Check out the official site to watch the trailer, and to see more photos, as well as a considerable amount of background information on the Three Gorges Dam and the film itself.

One of my favorite times of the year is seeing what will pop on for Canada's Top Ten. Every year, Cinematheque Ontario releases the films they believe are the country's top 10 of the year, and tops off great selections with panel events with filmmakers and stars. It's the series that introduced me to Guy Maddin, while letting me relish quintessential Canadian talent like Sarah Polley and Calum Keith Rennie. Being outside of the big-studio system, the 10 are also pretty diverse, interesting, and challenging. In the last few years alone, they've screened the likes of Away from Her, C.R.A.Z.Y., Ryan, The Saddest Music in the World, Ararat, and Ginger Snaps.

Now it's time for this year's selections, and along with the features released yesterday in a press statement, the collection includes short films -- all of which will screen from January 25-February 5 at Cinematheque Ontario. Without further ado, here are the lucky films:

Features

L' Âge des ténèbres -- Denys Arcand
Amal -- Richie Mehta
Continental, un film sans fusil (Continental, a Film Without Guns) -- Stéphane LaFleur
Eastern Promises -- David Cronenberg | TIFF Review
Fugitive Pieces -- Jeremy Podeswa
My Winnipeg -- Guy Maddin | TIFF Review
A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman -- Peter Raymont | TIFF Review
The Tracey Fragments -- Bruce McDonald | Berlinale Review, Cannes Review
Up the Yangtze -- Yung Chang
Young People F*cking -- Marin Gero | TIFF Review

Shorts

Code 13 -- Mathieu L. Denis, The Colony -- Jeff Barnaby, Dust Bowl Ha! Ha! -- Sebastien Pilote, Farmer's Requiem -- Ramses Madina, Les Grands -- Chloe Leriche, I Have Seen the Future -- Cam Christiansen, I Met the Walrus -- Josh Raskin, Madame Tutli-Putli -- Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski, Pool -- Chris Chong Chan Fui, Terminus -- Trevor Cawood

Panels will include the likes of Bruce McDonald, Richie Mehta, Robert Lantos, David Weaver, and Jamie Travis.