In recent decades, costume dramas have been dominating the small screen in China. The past few years has seen a new force fast emerging to portray the daily life in the country's rural areas. With its touching sincerity and honesty, these stories are winning more attention. In today's Spotlight, we will take a look at some shows about women living in the countryside.
On the afternoon of February 8th, a press conference was held in Beijing for the TV series "Women at the Head of Their Houses". Attending the event were the director Zhang Xiaochun, and major cast members Li Jingjing, Sun Song, and Hou Jilin.
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TV series "Women at the Head of Their Houses" |
The show opens on Feburary 11th. Set in the countryside of contemporary China, the story is about an ambitious business undertaking of a young rural couple. Set in different sections of countryside, the small city, and big city, the show paints a touching picture of the growing affections between the two main characters.
A trailer was played at the press conference. Reviewing their arduous days in making the show, Li Jingjing, the lead actress, was moved to tears.
Li Jingjing said, "It was so hard when we made the show. However, now that it's completed, I'm feeling fulfilled and rewarded. We didn't make this effort in vain. I'm proud of that experience."
Following her speech, Li Jingjing hugged her fellow cast members. Hou Jilin, another leading lady of the show also shared her cherished memories.
Li Jingjing said, "The ultraviolet was so harsh in such a high altitude environment. One day I found my face badly swollen when I got up. The inflammation was so bad that I was not sure whether I could shoot the scene. So I went and asked the director about it. He said, "you cannot appear on TV like that". So we had to postpone. It didn't go away until several days later."
Among the TV productions on rural women airing in recent years, "What She Says Goes" is one of the best. The story is about the hardships of Ju Xiang and the conflicts between several big families in a village. It presents a chronicle of the changes ongoing in China's countryside since the reform and opening up. The show debuted in 2004 and has been run and rerun around China. Last year, it was granted a major television award.
Another exceptional show of the same theme is "Women's Village", which opened last September on the TV Drama Channel of CCTV. It is about the life of rural women whose husbands are away in the cities as migrant workers. The story praises the initiative and industry of rural women in China. Set in Northeast China, the show provides an overview of rural life, which is realistically illustrated with vivid details.
In "Women at the Head of Their Houses", romance is the ruling theme. The story begins with a somewhat arranged marriage. Through sharing the same goal, the husband and wife find themselves confronted by formidable obstacles in building an emotional connection. As they come to learn more about each other they find that they actually have a lot in common.
Sun Song, a veteran actor, played the male lead.
Sun Song said, "A lot of the acting is improvised. In a quarrelling scene my acting partner kind of scared me by throwing everything she could grab onto the ground. Actually I admire their dedication to portraying their roles in a most realistic manner. Sometimes, they can go so far as to hit me with stuff."
Rural-themed TV productions are gaining increasing popularity both among urban dwellers and those living in the countryside. The country's viewers are expecting more such shows in the future.
Editor: Liu Fang | Source: CCTV.com