Fan Jinshi attends the release ceremony for her biography in Beijing on October 21. Photo: Courtesy of Yilin Press

Film Dunhuang Nüer, which can be translated as "the daughter of Dunhuang," finished filming at Hengdian World Studios, the largest film base in China, in East China's Zhejiang Province on Friday. It will debut in 2021 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). 

The film follows the real life of Fan Jinshi, honorary director of the Dunhuang Academy and a Chinese archaeologist and heritage specialist, who went to Hengdian World Studios to express her thanks to the crew on Friday. 

"You are not shooting me alone, but a group of people…" the 80-something woman told the film crew.

The film depicts the relationship between Fan and the Mogao Grottoes, the famous World Heritage Site in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu Province. 

In order to make scenes look real, some caves which are significant to Fan's life were opened to the crew for shooting. Some experts from the Dunhuang Academy also conducted some lectures to help the crew improve their understanding of the grottoes. 

According to the director Teng Junjie, the crew was full of respect toward the site and they gradually came to feel the Dunhuang spirit during the shooting. 

"We hope that we can show our respect to Fan and the people working in Dunhuang, and also pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China by making a great film," said Teng.