To the Wonder is announced by The Cannes International Series Festival (CANNESERIES) as part of this year's Official Selection for Long Form Competition. Photo: Courtesy of iQIYI

 
The Chinese series To the Wonder was announced on Tuesday by The Cannes International Series Festival (CANNESERIES) as part of this year's Official Selection for Long Form Competition, marking the first Chinese language long-form drama series to be selected in this competition since its launch in 2018. 

 The drama is set for its world premiere in Cannes on April 7, where it will vie for five major awards against seven other international series.
 
The mini-series is an adaptation of the award-winning essay collection My Altay by Li Juan, a renowned Chinese essayist. Set in Northwest China's Xinjiang's pristine Altay region, the eight-episode series offers audiences a fresh narrative and sensory experience, blending light comedy with Li's literary aesthetics to explore themes of nature reverence, self-discovery, and the simple yet resilient spirit of the northern Xinjiang herders. 

Produced by China's streaming giant iQIYI, the series boasts a top-notch cast and production team, which includes some acclaimed Chinese actors such as Ma Yili (winner of the Best Actress award at the 2018 Shanghai Magnolia Awards, which is one of the most prestigious TV awards in China) and Zhou Yiran and Yu Shi in the lead roles, with special appearances by Jiang Qiming and Yan Peilun.
 
Reflecting on the universal themes of the series, director Teng Congcong said, "Art and love enable humanity to transcend language and national boundaries."
 
Qi Kang, one of the chief producers of the series and head of iQIYI's Canran Studio, said, "We are very fortunate to explore uncharted territories with our outstanding collaborators."
 
CANNESERIES, now in its 7th year and scheduled to take place from April 5 to 10, continues its commitment to showcasing international talent, celebrated screenwriters, and contributors from the multifaceted world of TV series production. 

The selection of To the Wonder for the festival places it alongside notable past selections such as BBC America's Killing Eve, the German period drama series Bauhaus: A New Era, the French biographical mini-series Tapie, and the gripping South Korean thriller, Bargain.
 
It also marks another milestone in the global recognition of Chinese language dramas, following the earlier selection of another iQIYI original Chinese series, Why Try to Change Me Now, which was selected for the Berlinale Series selection of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival.