Documentary "Africans in Yiwu" premiere in London and Guangzhou
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Johannesburg - The China-Africa co-production “Africans in Yiwu” premiered October 26 at the London School of Economics and at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

Co-directed by Zhang Yong and Hodan Osman Abdi, the project marks the first time China has worked with an African film company. 

The six-episode documentary was produced by Yiwu Afrowood Films Co. Ltd. and The Center for African Film and TV Studies at Zhejiang Normal University. 

The series depicts the daily lives and struggles of Africans living in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province. The project was created so African audiences could gain a better understanding of China, while helping Chinese gain a better understanding of Africa through the first-hand accounts of the characters depicted within.

The series benefits from its multi-cultural perspective as each episode closely follows a few African individuals.  The challenges and opportunities the city offers when it comes to finding a home in an environment that never stops moving. 

Viewers will get to witness how Chinese and Africans interact with one another as the latter attempts to tries to immerse themselves into Yiwu society.  Each episode centers on one topic such as trade, marriage, charity, art, education and cuisine.  

The film screened at the Zanzibar International Film Festival was chosen as the opening film for the Lusaka International Film Festival. At both festivals the film was met with a welcoming response. In October, parts of the film will be screened at the Somali week-long festival as part of the Africa history month activities organized yearly in the UK.