An unknown creative writer lives in the skin of a well-known film critic (part 3)

Yang Jiamin describes herself as a “rational idealist”, something the musical producer and CEO of Seven Ages Production hopes all of her staff will become. When I sat down with her at her office near the iconic Poly Theater in Beijing, I found myself sitting opposite a practical dreamer.

Shi Yan is a pioneer and promoter of China’s community-supported agriculture movement, or CSA for short. In 2009, she set up one of the first farms in the country where consumers could buy organic fruits and veggies directly from the producers.

Cui Rui still remembers his first visit to a cinema. The 8-year-old was shocked by the rich combination of images, music, and sounds he experienced and the strong emotions they conveyed to the audience. This encounter planted the seed of a dream in filmmaking, which came to fruition through years o…

Shi Yan holds a doctorate in agriculture business and management from Renmin University of China. But she prefers to be called a ‘new farmer’ rather than an academic. Over the past 12 years, she has worked in organic farming in a Beijing suburb, growing vegetables without the use of pesticides, and…