A documentary about the city of Beijing which is undergoing enormous changes during the preparations for the summer Olympics 2008. A brand new Beijing, with a vision for the future, is replacing the old imperial capital. In a series of close-ups, we meet the people of Beijing who will lose their homes and face an uncertain future. They have raised their voices against the destruction of their homes and the loss of their city's history for ever.

After many years of living overseas, the director meets his father in Shenzhen. The setting of the film is a Russian- made aircraft carrier named Minsk, which seems to have the same life experience as the director. With its past glory and memories, this huge carrier is now a major commercial opportunity. Chinese and foreign tourist swap their roles here. The way the director sees it, Minsk has been transformed from an enormous war machine into a money making machine.