Upcoming film traces Chinese youth pursuing dreams in different eras
With the May Day holiday season approaching, internet platforms have also become a "battlefield" for big-budgeted movies' competition.
Zhongguo Qingnian: Wo He Wo De Qingchun (Chinese Youth: Me and My Youth), an upcoming movie that stars A-listers Zhang Yixing, Wang Yibo and Zhou Dongyu, will be streamed on three of China's most popular streaming sites – iQiyi, Youku and Tencent Video — starting from May 1.
The movie consists of three stand-alone stories that recount the struggles of young people in different eras.
The first tale, titled "Flag", portrays a group of young people who overcome harsh conditions and extreme weather to join the land reclamation campaign in northeastern China over five decades ago.
The second story, "Seeing", centers on a fresh college graduate who volunteers to work as a teacher in a remote village in rural Ningxia Hui autonomous region. After discovering the local children's strong interest in music, the protagonist establishes a choir to help them pursue their dreams.
The third tale, "Quest", follows a villager's challenging journey to visit and express his gratitude to a kindhearted sponsor who financed his son's college education fee.
Actor Zhang Yixing, who plays an artist in the first tale, said during a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that the movie showcases the pursuit of self-worth and ideals by the younger generation in different eras, while facing challenges and various career choices.
