Alumni joined for a preview screening of multi-award-winning Director Phil Agland’s new series China: Between Clouds and Dreams, examining the lives of everyday people in modern China to tell a story about a global issue that affects us all. See the trailer here.

Commissioned by China Central Television and filmed over three years, the five-part series tells intimate human stories, capturing China’s relationship with nature and the environment as the country grapples with the reality of global warming and ecological collapse in its pursuit of an ambitious future. The film’s character-driven, intimate stories take us into the daily lives of people across the country. Charming, charismatic and brutally honest, local people show us what is really happening to the land as China emerges as a global economic giant.

Following the screening, One World Media Chairman John Willis was in conversation with Phil Agland to discuss his experience of working for CCTV, filming in China, partnering with a local production team and what he thinks is the key to telling authentic stories from far-away places that connect with a global audience.