A frontier land of hope and dreams

"As Xinjiang continues to open up, people from around the world will have more access. The world will see a more balanced and truer picture," Han says.

The documentary has also gotten attention from some scholars and critics, mostly deeming it as a true reflection of the living conditions of Xinjiang locals.

Zheng Liang, a scholar who was born in Xinjiang, says the documentary reveals the normal and ordinary lives of Xinjiang locals after religious extremism and separatism had been effectively curbed in the region since 2016.

"Everything is now back to normal. Like people in other regions in China, locals in Xinjiang are now pursuing a good life with all their effort," says Zheng, who is also a researcher in communication and national governance with Jinan University.