A feature documentary "Hopes and Dreams" which gives a snapshot of life in today's China held its British premier at Greenwood Theater of the King's College London on Monday.
Six international directors, ranging from an award-winning British veteran to a first-time Spanish film-maker, each made a 15 minute film about the ambitions and dreams of ordinary Chinese people. Together the six films make the feature-length documentary "Hopes and Dreams".
The stories they chose to tell are as varied as the six directors themselves.
A French film-maker chose a young woman, passionately devoted to sharing her love of flamenco, despite the bemusement of family and friends.
A Chinese director decided to capture on film the ambitions and set-backs of the naive young stars of China's Under 17 women's football team, as they prepare for their world cup.
A British director travelled to the desert-dry West of China to tell the story of an unlikely trio of visionaries, a farmer, an inventor and a young businessman, with a shared dream to save the world from drought.
Executive Producer Liz McLeod said: "The characters in Hopes and Dreams are all really engaging in their very different ways and often so unlike our clichéd image of China. The film is full of surprises; and manages to be both epic and intimate."
The premier was held in front of an invited audience of British television and film professionals, broadcasters, academics and students of film. Over the next month "Hopes and Dreams" will also be screened at student film clubs up and down the country.
