Photographer captures lives of Wenchuan quake survivors in new film

Photographer Jiao Bo (left) and one of the six subjects of his new documentary "Chuan Liu Bu Xi" attend a promotional event for the film, which is due for release on Saturday.[Photo: Provided to China Plus]

A documentary about the lives of six orphans who lost their families during the Wenchuan earthquake a decade ago is due to be released in theatres in China on Saturday.

Photographer Jiao Bo (焦波) picked the six as the subjects of his film during a tour to the quake-hit area. The photographer went on to coach the orphans in the art of photography, and at the same time captured details about their lives over the following decade for his film "Chuan Liu Bu Xi" (川流不息), which means "It Never Ceases".

The orphans all received financial aid from China Life, a major insurance company that has pledged to support them until they turn 18 years old.

The documentary shows how social aid and disaster relief efforts help the children gradually grow into adults with a positive outlook towards their lives and careers despite the adversity they had faced. One of the children is now a promising film director, while another has been admitted to a prestigious university.

The release of the documentary was timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake. The Wenchuan quake was the country's deadliest in more than 30 years and caused the death of nearly 70,000 people.