The Dream Maker

A flawless, inspiring, lighthearted drama with accomplished storytelling, based on a true story

"If the people who create miracles can be called extraordinary individuals, then Longgang´s extraordinary people are not just one or two, but a whole group of them" by Zhu Xiaojun from his book "China´s Farmers City".

The Dream Maker is an uplifting, vibrant drama told in a lighthearted way full of humor and humanity that manages to tell an apparently boring and complex subject such as building a city in an engaging way. The pace is fantastic, the music is inspiring, the ensemble cast is on point and the feeling of that era - the 80s - is nicely done. The overall cinematography is modern but still has a touch of nostalgia. Last but not least, the ending is epic. Perfect from start to finish.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see this drama’s name during awards season, especially for direction and adapted screenplay - it's been a long, long time since I’ve seen such a flawless story and such accomplished storytelling. In the acting department, Huang Xiaoming, Chen Minghao, and Zhu Yuan Yuan are my favourites among the very solid lineup.

But what really sets it apart is that it´s based on a real story: Longgang in Wenzhou county, Zhejiang province, is the only city built by farmers in terms of efforts and funding during the era of Reform and Opening-Up.

The source of the script is a reportage research book called China´s Farmers City, written by Zhu Xiaojun, a winner of the Lu Xun Literary Award. In words of its author:

"I believe the most remarkable thing about Longgang is that, without being included in the national capital construction plan, it relied on the Reform and Opening-up policy of 1984 to blaze a new trail. It created a miracle in the history of urban construction in China and even the world - a city built by peasants with their own funds. This city also changed the destiny of hundreds of thousands of peasants, enabling them to achieve common prosperity."

The Reform and Opening-Up is a part of modern Chinese history that few people in this western part of the globe understand in its scale, impact and magnitude not just for China but for the world we are living now and in the years to come. Since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976 and the leadership of Deng Xiaoping during the 80s - and his influential power in the next decade -, and the following presidents, the country transformed from a pure communist society to the modern superpower we see today. A shift the world has never witnessed, as we are talking about merely of 45 years.

The Dream Maker is set against this backdrop, and at the begining of this era. As we saw, a rare case within China but in the world: a city built with the funding and efforts of its own residents, and by the leadership of one extraordinary man: the real Chen Dingmo.

The script took many years to adapt, and of course it took its liberties. While some characters have their counterparts in real life, others are a blend of two real people or were added to enhance the storytelling. But this is a real powerhouse cast that brings these fictional people to life: they´re not perfect or blunt, but just as real as people are.

The character of Li Qiuping, played by Zhao Liying, doesn´t actually exist in the book. She combines the traits of two other characters: the cultural depth and professional drafting skills of the university graduate Xie Fangming (in the book) and the forward-looking vision of Chen Dingmo. On the contrary, Secretary Zheng Da Cheng, played by the fantastic Huang Xiao Ming, is based on the real Chen Dingmo. You can tell the actor captured his vibe perfectly.

Finally, a special shout-out to the character Gao Xuemei, and the original protagonist: Chen Zhihui, the pioneer of Longgang´s Printing Industry. The power of women in Longgang, full of entrepreneurial spirit, is not only embodied by Chen Zhihui in real life, but also by actress Zhu Yuan Yuan. Her portrayal of the character Gao Xuemei is terrific, full of life, wit and will - all while suffering from cancer that nobody in the crew knew about. She died just sixteen days after the drama wrapped up filming.

I´m a strong believer in these stories, because although fictionalized, they´re based on real people. They might be less popular than real tragedies and fantasy romances, but by no means less important, entertaining or impactful to the heart and mind. The world is full of dream makers whose stories are worth telling and knowing.

If you like these types of stories or are looking for a positive view of the world, you can give this drama a try. It might not be for everyone, but it surely will become a classic in cdramaland, in my cdrama library and perhaps, in yours too. It´s a drama worth watching and rewatching.

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