For Xu Li, home is where the heart is

Xu was born in Hunan's Jishou city in 1961.

In 1992, she joined the China Media Group as a news anchor, leaving her hometown to settle in Beijing.

The filming of Where I Was Born and Raised became an opportunity for Xu to frequently revisit her hometown.

For her, the experience served as a catalyst, not only in rekindling personal memories of her roots, but also beginning a journey of rediscovery.

Moving from the news anchor desk to exploring the diverse landscapes of both urban and rural areas in Hunan, Xu sees this journey as more than a mere source of novelty.

"It presents a considerable challenge. On one hand, it enables me to engage deeply with the individuals I interview, and on the other hand, the documentary-style filming introduces me to an entirely new method of expression," she says.