Documentary about Xinjiang everyday people debuts

Two people from Xinjiang in the documentary are on the stage to meet audience on Monday. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A serial documentary I'm from Xinjiang on the Silk Road debuted in Beijing on Monday.

The documentary tells stories of 18 everyday people who are from Xinjiang striving for their dreams to become TV stars, barbecue vendor, entrepreneurs, merchants and others and for a better future across the nation.

Kurbanjan Samat, the producer of the documentary, said the stories are about people from Xinjiang, but not in the perspective of their life as ethnic minorities, but how they fight and work hard for life, just like everyone else in the society.

Kurbanjan started his project as prejudice arises against natives of the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region as sometimes they are alienated or labeled violent nationwide.

He spoke to more than 500 Xinjiang people and selected 100 stories to make his first book I'm from Xinjiang in 2014, to show the life of a group of people from Xinjiang.

Two years later, 18 people from Xinjiang were selected for the documentary.

Kurbanjan receives bouquets from the audience. [Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"I'm a Uyghur from Xinjiang and I've been in Beijing for ten years. During these years, I came across lots of challenges. I was lucky to have those difficulties to be able to stand where I am," said Kurbanjan.

"I want to show that people from Xinjiang are just like everybody else, holding Chinese dreams as they keep fighting to achieve their goals," he said.

Two stories of people from Xinjiang were been displayed during the event. One is of a man who works as an English teacher in Jinhua, Zhejiang province. The other is a woman who caught the bouquet in the wedding as a bridesmaid for her friend.

Coincidentally, these two people from Xinjiang got to know each other thanks to the documentary and soon tied the knot.

The documentary also tells celebrities who are from Xinjiang like actress Tong liya and singer Li Yapeng. Actor Chen Jianbin dubbed the film.

The documentary will air on TV and China's main online video platforms June 22.

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