Zhang Wei's 'Sound of a Dream' begins shoot

HuaHao Film & Media have announced that principal photography is currently underway on Zhang Wei’s (Factory Boss, Shadow) upcoming expressive odyssey, The Sound of a Dream.

Filming for the entrepreneur-turned-filmmaker’s latest topical feature commenced in September at the foot of Mount Everest in Tibet, China and will continue its second half of production on-location in Shenzhen this month.

The Sound of a Dream follows the story of four visually impaired children who embark on a life changing journey to escape the hardships of Tibet. Led by Thubten, who is determined to enjoy life to the full before his vision deteriorates completely, the group begins on a daring quest to perform at a televised singing competition in Shenzhen.

Along the way the unlikely Tibetan pop group is aided by a nomad family, a fleet of bikers, and a desperate TV producer who, upon learning the remarkable challenges these young singers can face, begin to feel the world as the children have seen.

Wei first studied directing at the Beijing Film Academy in 2006. Known for presenting marginalized Chinese lives through film, Wei lived with a group of visually impaired children in Tibet in preparation for the shoot.

Following the debut of his first feature-length film, Shadow in 2011, the businessman-turned-director premiered his second feature, Factory Boss, at the 2014 Montréal World Film Festival where the film received the award for Best Actor.

Wei has since completed post-production on his third feature, Xi He, which is currently under consideration at a number of upcoming film festivals.