School of thought

"Professor Qian Yi refused us twice," Wang says. "The third time we sent her a handwritten letter, sincerely expressing our wish to include her in the production. She finally agreed to see us in her office on the first day of 2019, and she delivered her own demands. She said she hoped we would use her as a cue to film other elderly professors who have yet to receive enough attention."

There is one scene in the documentary that is etched in Sun's mind. It features Qian Yi "paying a New Year call" to her 101-year-old teacher Xu Baojiu on Lunar New Year's Eve.

"When Qian Yi was about to leave Xu's home, our photographers turned the camera to a painting on a wall. Underneath it was written 'presented by your student Qian Yi'. Suddenly, I managed to picture Qian Yi as a young woman. I also pictured how she decided to take on the responsibility of education from her teachers, a mission she has devoted her entire life to fulfilling," says Sun.

"From Qian Yi to Song, Yan and Cai, they are people who all have the light in their eyes. I hope every one of us can discover the light in our lives and to pursue our dreams," she concludes.