Farmer woman pursues drama dream

Liu Yunxia owes a debt almost equal to her family's annual income. Yet, after publishing her script for a TV drama, she believes her dream is closer to coming true.

Liu, 38, a farmer in a remote mountainous village in northwest China's Gansu province, borrowed 30,000 yuan ($4,870) from a local entrepreneur for the publication of a novel, "30 Years Is Not a Dream," which tells the story of a rural arranged marriage and is based on her own experiences.

With only a primary school education, the woman is known in her hometown and online for her persistent dream to write dramas and produce a TV series.

Liu loved writing as a child and dreamed of becoming a doctor. But she was engaged when she was only nine by her parents and forced to get married at 19.

The couple's life was not happy in the beginning due to poverty, lack of communication and her husband's gambling. Five years later, she began to feel love for her husband, Chen Yanhai, who took care of her in the hospital when she fell ill.

In 2008, Liu was inspired to shoot a TV drama after she saw a documentary on TV shot by a woman about rural children left behind by migrant workers in cities.

"The TV drama dream is to enrich our spiritual lives and really to change our own lives," said Liu. "I feel no meaning if I do farming work all my life. I want to do something significant to change our concept of a higher standard for life."

She made the decision despite her husband's opposition. She finally completed the first script of the drama, "Yezi's Arranged Marriage," in autumn 2010.

Liu then planned the shoot and persuaded her husband to support her. They spent all their savings of some 100,000 yuan to buy a camera,computers and other equipment. Fellow villagers were invited to volunteer as actors or actresses.

But filming of the series stopped halfway after actors quit due to the lack of pay, busy farming schedules and other reasons.

She did not give up and worked to improve the script. With the guidance of the president of the Lanzhou Film Studio, the story was published as a book in February.

Liu said she is grateful to her husband, who has given her great support despite initial disagreement. The couple raise 24 dairy cows, which bring them an income of 3,000 to 4000 yuan a month.

Liu told Xinhua on Monday she has just finished a movie script, "The Story of Liu Xuemei's Dream," which is also based on her own experience.

"I hope famous directors will come to discuss with me about shooting the TV drama or movie soon," said Liu. She added that a photographer from the east China business hub of Shanghai is offering help to find directors and investors.

"I believe the dream will come true in the end," said Niu Gonghe, a villager who once performed in the unfinished drama.

"To shoot a TV drama is not only a dream of Liu's, but also mine and my fellow villagers. We look forward to realizing the dream as early as possible."