From Mumbai to Sichuan: An Indian Filmmaker’s Rural China Journey

When Anusha Venkatachalam Iyer swapped Mumbai’s hustle for Sichuan’s terraced fields in 2018, she didn’t just find a new home – she discovered a lens to bridge cultures. The independent Indian filmmaker, now a fixture in Mianyang’s countryside, shares her unexpected love affair with rural China in a new documentary-style video.

Noodles, New Friends & Camera Rolls

\"I came as a volunteer farmhand, but stayed as a storyteller,\" Anusha laughs, recalling her first encounters with Sichuan’s famously spicy cuisine and even warmer people. Her films capture everything from tea-harvesting grandmothers to innovative eco-farming projects, painting a vibrant picture of community resilience.

Why Rural China Captured Her Heart

What keeps Anusha rooted? \"The rhythm of life here – where tech meets tradition,\" she explains. Her latest work highlights how villages balance modernization with cultural preservation, from ancient qilou architecture to booming livestreamed agricultural sales.

More Than Just Scenery

Through her films, Anusha challenges stereotypes: \"China’s countryside isn’t ‘backward’ – it’s reinventing itself daily.\" Her upcoming project will explore youth-led sustainability initiatives, proving rural life’s global relevance.

Reference(s):

Looking into China: My rural life in China

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