The Producers

Charlotte Mikkelborg was born in London. She graduated with a Masters degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University and a post-graduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism from Cardiff University. Charlotte joined the BBC as one of 14 BBC Fast Track Trainees (chosen from 10,000 candidates). She went on to work as an investigative journalist for the BBC. Her regular contributions to BBC news and current affairs programmes were by and large reported, produced, filmed, written and edited by her. Charlotte became the BBC China Business Correspondent and spent 3 fascinating years reporting form the fast changing metropolis of Shanghai. After Charlotte left the BBC to pursue her passion for documentary film, she took up an opportunity to produce and direct a series of current affairs films out of Africa for the United Nations. Her current affairs film from the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Forgotten War, helped highlight the plight of rape victims. Charlotte returned to China in 2007 and worked as line producer on the feature film 'Made in China' (Grand Jury Prize SXSW 2009) and the feature length documentary 'The Human Spider' for UK based Firecracker Productions before going on to produce and direct her directorial debut, Building 173: 1 house, 7 families, 3 generations, her first documentary film.

Making The Film

"We wanted the history of Building 173 to come alive, to use animation to recreate both heartwarming and murderous events that went on behind its doors, for the audience to feel like they were walking along its corridors, experiencing the building for themselves and discovering the enigma that is Shanghai for themselves." - Charlotte Mikkelborg