Footprints on the high plateau

After extensive preparation, the film was shot between February and June last year. The crew traveled more than 3,000 km across remote locations. The team, divided into two groups, consisted of around 230 people, with one-third of the budget allocated to ensure safety while filming in extremely high-altitude and uninhabited areas.

One of the most challenging scenes features the male lead plunging into an icy lake to rescue a stray yak in an effort to protect a local herder's property. The plot was conceived by actor Ngawang Rinchen, who insisted on shooting the scene in a real icy river located at an altitude of 5,300 meters — where the temperature plummeted to — 27 C amid strong winds.

"In the high plateau area, hypothermia can cause your hands to lose control quickly, and put lives at risk. We once suggested the actor return to Lhasa to shoot in a relatively safer environment, but he insisted on completing the scene in Tsonyi for a more realistic effect," recalls Cai, expressing his admiration.