"Years Are Here," a documentary that portrays the passionate struggles of new China using precious images collected over the past 70 years, previewed in Beijing on May 26.
Produced by the China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio, the film was nominated for best documentary at China's Golden Rooster Awards in 2020.
The 88-minute film was carefully crafted from over 8,000 hours of original footage, according to the editor Zhan Haihong.
The chief director Guo Benmin said that the film is dedicated to the ordinary yet great workers of the country, adding that happiness can only be earned through hard work.
The filmmakers invited some of China's model workers to attend the preview, including Zhang Maijiang, who contributed to the construction of the Hongqi Canal, an engineering miracle built in Henan province in the 1960s; and Zhang Xiwang, who is known for his reforestation work in Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The model workers were presented with honorary certificates by the film's producer.
Those attending the preview represented a wide range of different age groups. One audience member, born in the 1980s, was moved to tears hearing "father of hybrid rice" Yuan Longping, who featured in the film, describe his dreams. The scene inspired the audience member to work to realize the dreams of the elder generations.
Yao Yonghui, the general manager of the studio, delivered a speech at the event. The crew behind the documentary, including the chief director Guo Benmin, the director Hao Yun, the editor Zhan Haihong, and the executive director Liu Yang, were all in attendance.
"Years Are Here" opens in movie theaters nationwide on May 28.