Yang, Yazhou	...	(Director)
Wei Li	...	(Writer)
Ping Ni	...
Quan Yuan	...
Haiying Sun	...	Wang, Shu
Yajun Xu	...	Liu, Zhipeng
Zhijun Ge	...	Zhao, Mianfen
Jiahe Yang	...	Wang, Dahe

Comments: DCH 129.2

Summary: In response to the death of her husband and young son, peasant Zhang Meili founds a school in the dry desert landscape of northwest China. When cultured and chipper Xia Yu arrives from Beijing to help her out, the two women bond and learn from each other¡¯s character how to best serve the children. Various subplots include the arrival of Xia¡¯s husband, who tries in vain to persuade her to return to the city, Xia¡¯s quick abortion, and the comically clandestine relationship between Zhang and a local projectionist.