China's first 8K space-filmed movie set for September premiere

China's first 8K movie shot in space, titled "SHENZHOU 13," is set to premiere nationwide on Sept 5, China Media Group (CMG) has announced with the release of a trailer.

The movie features footage captured by Shenzhou-13 astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu. The story is based on the crew's six-month orbital mission in the country's space station, according to the CMG.

The movie, largely told from Wang's perspective, showcases never-before-seen cosmic vistas and intimate glimpses of life aboard the space station. As China's first space-based film project, it was shot using fully domestically developed 8K ultra-high-definition cameras.

The creative team, working alongside aerospace engineers, overcame significant challenges, including rocket vibration tests, space environment simulations and adapting equipment for safe charging and storage within the space station. The specialized filming equipment was delivered to the space station via the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft in 2021.

On Oct 16, 2021, the Shenzhou-13 mission sent three taikonauts to China's space station core module for a six-month stay. During their mission, the crew members performed extravehicular activities twice and delivered two live classes from the space station. The mission marked China's completion of the verification of key technologies used on the space station.