Short videos shine spotlight on rural life

Tandi village in Gaozhou, western Guangdong province, has recently gained popularity online through its production of short-form digital dramas.

Leading this cultural surge is the series New Dreams in Lychee Land, which earned nominations for Best Director and Best Actress at the 4th Hong Kong Bauhinia International Film Festival last year.

The drama, which has been viewed over 150 million times across platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou and WeChat, was shot entirely in Tandi village, with the local lychee industry as its backdrop.

The series has taken rural stories to a wider audience, and is a remarkable achievement in Gaozhou's exploration of an economic development model that centers on short films, agriculture, farmers and rural life, according to local officials.

Guo Zhiyu, Party chief and head of Tandi village, which has a population of approximately 1,000 people, said shooting short-form digital dramas in the village has helped promote homestays, restaurants and related cultural and tourism industries, increasing local farmers' income.

"Visitors have to book in advance if they want to stay in the village's homestays or have meals in local restaurants during weekends and holidays, as all the places are always full," he said.

To meet the growing tourism demand, Guo said the village's infrastructure and facilities have been improved in recent years.