China's senior citizens in focus on popular documentary

The second season of When You Are Old, a six-episode documentary on older people in China, is sparking discussions on lesser seen aspects of daily life for the elderly.

Following a successful first season, the second season is produced by Docu-China Co owned by Shanghai Media Group and Tencent Video, and has been running since July 14.

While the first season, aired two years ago, focused more on documenting what older people are going through, the new season delves deeper into the specific and subtle details of their daily lives, with a sharper perspective.

Through six sets of real-life stories, the production explores topics such as voluntary guardianship, love, family relationships, intergenerational communication, living alone and elderly care.

The production teams hopes the documentary can break down the barriers and misunderstandings between generations, allowing young people to see what their parents — and even they themselves — might look like in the future. It also shows that a society actively addressing an aging population requires not only improvements to systems and regulations, but also a shift in mindset and culture.

Among them, the story about matchmaking among older people impressed the documentary's chief director Fan Shiguang the most. Lao Jiu in the story, a native of Shanghai, has established what Fan believed to be the world's largest matchmaking organization for single seniors. He manages about 100 matchmaking chat groups on 17 cellphones, serving a membership of approximately 25,000 people.

Fan said matchmaking for seniors is not exactly a brand new phenomenon, but it's truly admirable when people in their twilight years still have the courage to fall in love and get married again. They have to overcome so many obstacles, from their children and family to financial and physical challenges, to be able to come together.

"Essentially, what the documentary series has always been talking about is not the specific demands of the elderly, but about the fundamental human needs," Fan said.

"They show us the inconceivable resilience of life, and they are just no different from any one of us.

"We all need companionship, love, freedom and the chance to go out and see the world. This is the positive energy and message we really want to convey to everyone. It is to live in the moment, and cherish the present."