Film Shibadong Village to screen this Friday

Veteran Chinese actor Wang Xueqi (center) speaks at the premiere of the new film "Shibadong Village" on October 9, 2017 in Beijing. [Photo: China Plus]

Following a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, Shibadong Village in central China's Hunan Province has turned its fortunes around with tourism and a kiwi plantation.

Four years on, a film centered on how poverty alleviation has been achieved in this village will hit theatres around China this Friday.

Tong Gang, deputy director of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, suggested at the premiere of "Shibadong Village" that the film is a very up-to-date reflection of contemporary Chinese society.

Shibadong is a remote village in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

It has a population of less than 1,000 people. Homes are made of wood and bamboo, and have been built at the top of the hills to save the land below for farming.

At the time of President Xi Jinping's visit, the village was poor and isolated.

The film follows the efforts made in the village to pull itself out of poverty.

Veteran Chinese actor Wang Xueqi plays the leader of the poverty alleviation campaign after returning to Shibadong Village after being discharged from military service.