Poster of To the Wonder. [Photo provided to China Daily]

To the Wonder, an original production by iQIYI, China's leading online content provider, held its Asia premiere at the China Film Archive in Beijing on April 25.

Directed by Teng Congcong and starring actress Ma Yili, Zhou Yiran and Yu Shi, the 8-episode mini-series is an adaptation of award-winning essay collection My Altay by Li Juan, a recollection of her own experiences in the Altay region of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. To the Wonder offers a fresh narrative and sensory experience, blending light comedy with Li's literary aesthetics to explore themes of nature reverence, self-discovery and the simple yet resilient spirit of the northern Xinjiang herders.

Production team members of To the Wonder interact with the host at its Asia premiere in Beijing on April 25, 2024. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As the series opens with quote "To love, to live and to get hurt", To the Wonder is about life and all of its facets. Zhang Fengxia, played by Ma, is a shopkeeper in a remote area of Altay. After the death of her husband, Zhang leaves the township and moves further into the isolated areas. Li Wenxiu (played by Zhou), Zhang's daughter, is an aspiring writer who returns home after her yearlong attempt at literature in the city bears no significant fruit. The re-encounter of the mother and daughter and a series of events faced by them epitomize the resilience and wisdom of Chinese women, and also put the relationship between a mother and a daughter under the spotlight. Batai, played by Yu, projects the vitality of a Kazakh youth as he goes through the fusions and collisions brought forward when different cultures meet.

Director Teng Congcong [Photo provided to China Daily]

Reflecting on the intention of production, director Teng Congcong said it is the responsibility of the filmmaker to stand one step ahead of the audience and tell untold stories, instead of repeating themes that's been told countless times. "Li Juan is unique and irreplaceable in the world of literature today. My Altay is a collection of essays; they seem scattered but in fact they are very gathered. I wanted to get to its core," Teng said.

Actress Ma Yili [Photo provided to China Daily]

Ma said she joined the project to experience a different life. "Zhang Fengxia is far from the hustle and bustle, far from the city, she is different. I wanted to know what it felt like to be in her shoes," said Ma. "I was Zhang Fengxia for only two months, but my heart never left Altay even after filming ended. This is the biggest reason why we (filmmakers) choose to be in this profession," Ma added.

Qi Kang, a chief producer of To the Wonder. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Qi Kang, one of the chief producers of the series and head of iQIYI's Canran Studio, further emphasized the collaborative nature of the project.

"I was drawn into great souls and interesting people. As the English name of the series To the Wonder suggests, it is a longing for our ideals, also the unknown. It is the encounter with like-minded peers that made this production possible," Qi said.

To the Wonder was announced by the CANNESERIES (The Cannes International Series Festival) as part of this year's Official Selection for Long Form Competition. This marks the first Chinese language long-form drama series to be selected in this competition since its launch in 2018.