Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On October 30th, the premiere of *Calling 027*, the first film focusing on female adventure exploration, was held at the Capital Cinema in Xidan, Beijing.
Director Han Songyun, original author Wu Deling, producer and executive producer Dong Bingyong, screenwriter Mi Jiu, screenwriter and lead actor Liu Haoyan, leading actresses He Dujuan and Zhao Ziqi, and supporting actors Xu Yanyu, Hong Shuang, Xian Linan, and Zhu Li, among others, watched the film with guests and audience members, sharing their filming experiences.
*Calling 027* is adapted from the original work *Nan Ba Xian* by Qinghai oilfield writer Wu Deling, formerly known as *Crossing the Devil City*. The film employs a dual-timeline narrative, telling the moving story of eight female geologists from my country's first Northwest Oil Exploration Team who ventured into the Qaidam Basin in search of oil and bravely sacrificed their lives through an unexpected dialogue between two race car drivers and a walkie-talkie from many years ago in the Gobi Desert.
The film was nominated for the main competition at the 15th Jaipur International Film Festival in India and the 14th Macau International Film Festival, among other international competitions, and won numerous awards, including the Special Jury Prize and the Gold Prize for Best Cinematography at the 56th Houston International Film Festival.
After the screening, the creative team interacted with the audience, sharing unforgettable moments and profound feelings from the filming process. Director Han Songyun shared that in pursuit of realism, the crew filmed on location in the desert. The entire cast and crew, especially the eight actresses, braved temperatures of nearly 50 degrees Celsius, battling sandstorms and mudslides in the Devil City and the uninhabited areas. The strength of women embodied by the eight female oil workers was vividly portrayed in the actors, and the director hoped that the audience could feel this timeless female power through the film.
Executive producer Dong Bingyong stated, "When I first encountered the story of 'The Eight Immortals of the South,' I was determined to turn it into a film. Their stories deserve to be seen by more people. As the first film focusing on female adventure exploration, we hope to break away from conventional narratives and allow audiences to see the responsibility and perseverance of women in extreme environments. We thank all the co-producers for their strong support and the creative team for their dedication; it is through everyone's joint efforts that this legendary story has been fully presented. We hope the film will allow more people to remember history and draw strength from the struggles of our predecessors." Lead actress Zhao Ziqi, reflecting on her character's story, remarked that Qi Guixiang, as the exploration team leader and political instructor, possessed both gentleness and magnanimity, as well as fearlessness in the face of danger. Her care for her team members and her concern for her family made the character exceptionally vivid. "This role made me deeply realize that these female soldiers were not only heroes, but also wives and mothers; their sacrifices are all the more noble. I hope that through my performance, the audience can feel the patriotism of the older generation of builders, and that more people can see the important role women played in the course of history."
The film "Calling 027" is scheduled for nationwide release on November 8, 2025. (End)
