Longing and roots: Hechi tales through global lenses

The 2026 "Looking China Youth Film Project · Guangxi" draws to a fulfilling close, as young filmmakers from seven nations set foot across Guangxi. With global vision, they observe local customs and record authentic stories rooted in the region .

One featured work The Life We Long For centers on a 16-year-old high school student growing up in Dahua, Hechi. The documentary traces his ordinary daily routines. On his way home after school, the teenager opens up about his attachment to the small county and shares his longing for the wider world beyond hometown borders.

Dahua shook off poverty only years ago. Here, the national college entrance examination is widely seen as the only path for young people to leave mountainous areas, with urban life regarded as an ideal pursuit.

As the youngsters' yearning for the outside world grows stronger, the film raises a thought-provoking question: what kind of place truly deserves people's heartfelt yearning?

Credited to director LIEW XIN TONG from Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, producer He Bingrui from Guangxi University for Nationalities, the work presents Hechi's real charm to global audiences, bridging cultural exchange through genuine grassroots stories.