Village people

Based on the real stories of villagers striving to lift themselves out of poverty, Wang has created a script which features a very representative mix of impoverished characters including a lazy bachelor, a drunkard, an old man wallowing in superstition and a couple that have three children, more than the family planning policy allows.

"The script portrays in detail the stories of 17 main characters whose desire to get out of poverty and embrace a better life is aroused by the young cadres. They are then motivated to make the change happen," says Wang.

Exemplary deeds in the country's poverty alleviation campaign have been widely reported in the media in recent years, from which dozens of films and drama series about the campaign drew their materials.

"Although we share similar material, which are more of the same, I want to figure out a way to make my work different from other poverty alleviation-themed productions," says An Jian, director of the drama series A Land So Rich in Beauty.

After conducting investigations in villages and discussing with scholars who study rural issues, An holds that the key to poverty reduction lies in changing people's minds.

"It's essential to help the dwellers of backward, remote villages to overcome inertia and develop a stronger passion for life," says An.

Many poverty alleviation productions have highlighted statistics that reflect the rural areas' industrial development and the increase of villagers' income. However, the production team decided to focus on presenting the personal growth of the characters and avoid portraying stereotypical versions of cadres and villagers, says An.