A poster of the film. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A film about the lives of expressway workers also reflects the sacrifices and struggles that accompanied China's reform and opening-up over the past 40 years, Xu Fan reports.

Every time director Miao Yue drove on the Yaxi Expressway, a 240 kilometer road snaking through mountains in Southwest China's Sichuan province, she marveled at the spectacular views, which gave her the feeling of riding into the clouds.

But she never thought she would be able to stop and photograph the scene, which, according to traffic regulations, would earn her 12 demerit points leading to her driver's license being suspended.

So it was a big surprise for the filmmaker known for the award-winning film Hold Your Hands-a poverty alleviation-themed movie-when she got a chance to shoot her new film The Connection on a similar expressway which is still under construction.

Recently, the China Film Administration, the top regulator of the sector, selected nine films-including The Connection-to mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of reform and opening-up in China.

The Connection focuses on the lives of two generations of expressway workers, who struggled in hazardous weather conditions to boost China's road infrastructure.

Among the other films chosen are Running to the Spring; Hope of Road; Dr. Huang Danian; Fighting Men of China and The Photographer.

Speaking after a promotional event for the nine movies in Beijing recently, Miao says she took up work on The Connection, from the Chengdu-based Emei Film Group, the largest studio in Sichuan, in 2017.