Clipping together life

She says the clips initially enabled her to experience the occupations and lifestyles of grassroots individuals she hadn't learned about before.

"We often had to scroll through all the videos uploaded by a particular user. In this process, we became involved in a small fraction of their lives, experienced their joys and sorrows, and got to know their humorous and courageous personalities," Sun says.

She further realized that although these groups may lead lives unlike hers and those of other urbanites, their lives are actually in many ways interdependent. Farmers and manual laborers are the producers of food, clothing and buildings — the necessities of life.

The film compiles clips according to chapters based on these categories, including transportation, accommodation and, as the last theme, home.

"Home is where we set off from and where we return to," Sun says. "Perhaps the most important thing for Chinese people is to go home for Spring Festival. Our attachment to our hometowns is a deep-rooted part of traditional culture."