Heroes of the big screen

Sense of nostalgia

It was not until the late 1980s that color television sets started to become widespread in the country.

Until then, watching open-air movies was an essential form of entertainment for those living in the rural areas in China.

Crowds of people would finish their farm work early and gather together excitedly, waiting for the projectionist to show the movie.

"It's convenient to watch movies on television or even smartphone, but watching open-air movies makes the elderly feel nostalgic about the past. It's also an important social activity for them, as they like to make chitchat with each other," Hu says.

Some told Hu that, when they were young, they would trek over mountains for hours at night to go and watch an open-air movie.

She recalls that, once, she was showing a revolution-themed movie, when an old man in his 90s told her he was a Red Army soldier. He told stories about how they endured great hardships during wartime and showed a scar on his leg caused by a bullet, with tears in his eyes.

"The public approbation and enthusiasm of villagers have encouraged me greatly. They like to chat with me and some will call me to ask the date of the next screening," Hu says.