Xiwang zhi lu

Every year during August and September, several thousands of farm workers leave Sichuan by train for a long trip of more than 3000 km, lasting three days and two nights, towards China’s western autonomous region Xinjiang, where endless cotton fields await harvesting. For most of them, this is the first time away from their native villages. The aim of the film was to cast a light on the relatively new phenomenon of internal migrations in China. The result is a documentary in which we hear Chinese peasants from the poor interior regions speaking openly about their lives.