The realistic-themed film We Are Together, co-directed by Jiang Ping and Fan Yulin, is officially scheduled for nationwide release on October 13. The film is co-produced by Nantong Radio and Television, Hainan Prefecture Media Center, Qinghai Publishing & Media Group Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Xingfu Lanhai Film & Media Co., Ltd., Jilin Animation Institute, and Beijing Zhiwei Huahao Film & Media Co., Ltd., with joint production support from Nanjing Radio and Television Group, Wuxi Radio and Television Group, Xuzhou Radio and Television Media Group, Changzhou News Media Center, Yancheng Radio and Television Station, and Yangzhou News Media Center. The cast features both emerging and established actors and artists, including Niu Ben (Jr.), Li Muzi, Yuan Ting, Ma Junqin, Zhu Shuoran, He Saifei, Liang Tian, Guo Xiaodong, Hou Tianlai, Weng Hong, Tao Yuling, Niu Ben, and Zheng Yuzhi.
The film is inspired by the “Love & Light” public welfare initiative in Qinghai supported by Jiangsu Province, and tells the moving story of young doctor Shen Ziqing, who crosses both geographic and spiritual frontiers of the plateau, using medical skills to bring hope to local Tibetan communities. Faculty and students from Jilin Animation Institute participated deeply in the film’s production, contributing to actor coordination, on-site execution, art design, and makeup and styling, providing a vivid example of practical application in the integration of industry and education.
During the film’s production, Wen Zonghuan, a faculty member of the Film School at Jilin Animation Institute, served as assistant director for actors, coordinating with the crew on call sheets and scheduling for more than 20 emerging and established artists, including Niu Ben, Liang Tian, He Saifei, Guo Xiaodong, and Hou Tianlai. Student teams took on key roles such as assistant directors, director’s assistants, and mobile unit assistants. Class of 2021 student Yun Yujie worked as an art assistant, applying classroom theoretical knowledge on location at the 3,200-meter-high Yellow River Wetlands in Guide County to meet the director’s artistic requirements. Students Yang Dongshuang, Chen Xinyu, and Wu Yushan served as makeup assistants, helping stylists with the main actors’ looks. “The film set is the classroom, and every challenge is a lesson,” said director Jiang Ping, praising the professional competence of Jilin Animation faculty and students. “They joined the shoot on August 22, 2024, and wrapped on September 24, completing the coordination of multiple large-scale crowd scenes on the plateau with efficiency and precision comparable to professional crews.” This “real project, real practice” approach exemplifies Jilin Animation Institute’s deepening integration of industry and education—by bringing industry-level projects into the teaching pipeline, students can hone technical skills and artistic sensibilities in a genuine production environment.
As the nationwide release of We Are Together on October 13 approaches, the film has already generated widespread anticipation. The story not only embodies the deep friendship between officials and local communities in Jiangsu and Qinghai but also serves as a vivid showcase of Jilin Animation Institute’s achievements in integrating education with industry. Just as Dr. Shen Ziqing treks through wind and snow on screen, the creative efforts of Jilin Animation faculty and students behind the camera reflect the same perseverance and dedication. This exemplifies the profound synergy of “deep integration of education and practice, and joint progress of academia and industry”—education thrives when closely connected to industry practice, the industry gains sustained momentum when infused with academic insight, and between light and shadow, the warmth and power of creators’ efforts are always vividly alive.
