"Starting in 2019, over the course of two-and-a-half months, we traveled to five prefectures, including Tacheng, Kezilesu Kirgiz and Ili Kazak, to make the film, recording beautiful scenery, such as the snowcapped peaks, deserts and grasslands," says director Abdukerim Abliz.

As a musical film, the production features eight songs, four performances of which combine singing and dancing, which demonstrate the folk music of eight ethnic groups in Xinjiang.

According to Gao, China makes few domestic musical films due to the high cost of production and low return on investment, but they wanted to make one inspired by the music and culture of dance in Xinjiang.

"Xinjiang has many ethnic groups, and their diversified culture of music and dance show the features of each one. We want to show them to the audience," he says.