The Beautiful Kokonor Lake

Actress Qin Yi, whose long and honored career has given her the freedom to explore her craft, originally wrote the screenplay for The Beautiful Kokonor Lake after hearing a radio news report 30 years ago. This film is based on the true story of an Australian couple, working on an artificial rain project on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, who documented the challenges they faced during their years in China. On the day before they are set to return to Sydney, an accident changes the course of their lives, leaving them in a new and unsettling situation. This pair and their work on the Plateau are instrumental in the development of first-aid stations along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. These stations give medical care to towns that would otherwise not have it, helping families that may have been in their situation. The supporting cast of characters help to bring this couple's story to life, giving the audience a look into the everyday life of a foreigner living and working in a new country, trying to make a difference. (Seattle International Film Festival)