Film honoring tragic desert quest hits screens

Way Out, a film adapted from a best-selling novel about China's pioneering female geological prospectors, is set to hit theaters nationwide on Nov 8.

Told through two interwoven timelines, the movie begins when two car racers stumble upon an old wireless intercom in a desolate desert. Their discovery gradually unravels the story behind the device — tracing it back to 1954, when eight female geologists were sent to the Qaidam Basin in Northwest China's Qinghai province to search for oil.

After successfully locating an oilfield and collecting crucial samples, the team loses its way in a remote area locally known as the "devil's city". Battling freezing temperatures, hunger, and exhaustion, the women ultimately sacrifice their lives while still attempting to safeguard the valuable scientific data.

The film is based on Nan Ba Xian (Eight Heroines from the South), a 2021 novel by writer Wu Deling, inspired by the true story of the eight trailblazing scientists.

Director Han Songyun shared during the film's Beijing premiere that the crew, in pursuit of authenticity, ventured deep into the desert for on-location shooting. "All the cast and crew members, especially the eight actresses, braved nearly a 50-degree temperature difference, weathered sandstorms and mudslides, and overcame numerous challenges in the uninhabited areas. The female strength embodied by the eight protagonists has been vividly brought to life through the actresses," added Han.