The Wings of Songs director Abdukerim Abliz Photo: Courtey of Zhao Zhao

Local ethnic culture from dance to music will be key to the upcoming Xinjiang-themed movie The Wings of Songs, said its director Abdukerim Abliz. 

The movie, which is set to hit screens on March 28, will focus on three young people from different ethnic groups living in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, traveling across the region to seek inspiration for their music dream. 

This is the latest attempt from the Tianshan Film Studio to explore the region's rich cultural resources in a musical. Starting from May 2019, the film crew toured to Xinjiang cities such as Yili, Tacheng and Kashi to shoot local scenes like snow-covered mountains, deserts and lakes. 

Additionally, the director also highlighted that scenes featuring running horses and dance battles, which are often used in modern dance, will appear in the film.