On the vast grasslands of Shannan, Tibet, galloping horses shatter worldly constraints; the power of domestically produced optics recreates the warmth of human connection in Tibet. On July 15th, "The Female Rider," a realistic and inspirational film about Shannan, Tibet, directed by Song Zan, officially premiered on iQiyi. The film was largely shot using two sets of domestically produced professional cinema lenses: the CHIOPT XTREME zoom lens and the SLASHER macro prime lens. With 8K ultra-high-definition visuals, it depicts the expansive scenery of the plateau, portrays the delicate emotions of the Tibetan people, and tells the story of a Tibetan girl overcoming prejudice and pursuing her passion, showcasing the independent and self-reliant strength of Tibetan women in the new era.
01: A story of a horse racing journey that defies societal norms
The film is rooted in the pastoral region of Shannan, Tibet, using the local traditional horse racing culture as its narrative backdrop to weave a moving story interwoven with regret, family affection, resistance, and reconciliation. Herdsman Wujin was once a renowned horse racing champion on the grasslands. After tragically losing his beloved son, he poured all his unfulfilled horse racing dreams into his daughter, Yangmu. From Yangmu's childhood, Wujin personally taught her how to train and ride horses, rigorous training permeating her entire childhood.
However, in the long-standing local tradition, the horse racing track has always been a male-only domain. Yangmu's passion was fraught with criticism and societal prejudice from the very beginning: repeated falls and injuries during training; her father's heavy obsession with winning constantly strained the father-daughter relationship, deepening the rift between them. The high-altitude cold, the rigorous training, and the incomprehension of others—these layers of pressure could not extinguish Yangmu's yearning for horses and the racetrack.
Years of arduous training on the snowy grasslands honed Yangmu's exceptional riding skills. Throughout her long journey of growth, she gradually came to understand the true meaning of horse racing: rankings are not the end goal, but a stage to prove a woman's self-worth. The regional grand horse race arrived as scheduled, and Yangmu resolutely broke with generations of tradition, riding onto the track amidst the attention of thousands.
Galloping across the field, she achieved remarkable results, fulfilling her father's long-held wish and resolving their long-standing conflict. Furthermore, her presence on horseback challenged conventional wisdom in the pastoral area, earning the respect of all the herders through her own strength. The film blends authentic Tibetan folk customs, depicting both the tender and profound father-daughter bond and chronicling the epic story of a highland girl breaking free from constraints and pursuing her dreams independently.
02: CHIOPT cinematic lens recreates the authentic texture of Tibet
High altitude, large temperature differences, vast grasslands, and subtle cultural details—the complex shooting environment of Tibet places extremely high demands on lens image quality, durability,
and focal length compatibility. For the entire filming of "The Female Rider," two sets of professional cinema lenses independently developed by Changbudao were used for most of the shoot,
showcasing the robust optical capabilities of domestic manufacturers to fully preserve the unique scenery and cultural atmosphere of Shannan.
1. XTREME Zoom Group: Capturing the Magnificent Snow-Covered Mountains and Rivers in One Lens
The XTREME series, as a large-format professional cinema zoom lens, boasts two golden focal lengths: 28-85mm and 75-250mm, a constant T3.2 aperture, and supports 8K ultra-high-definition imaging.
The wide-angle end captures the continuous grassland, sacred mountains, lakes, and the entire panoramic view of the pastoral area, fully enhancing the vast atmosphere of Shannan. The medium and long focal lengths precisely capture the dynamic of the galloping horses, the layers of light and shadow of the distant mountains, and the minute details of the horse's fur and the grassland's wind and sand. The zoom function is smooth and does not require frequent changes of lenses, greatly improving the shooting efficiency when following the race horses in the wild or moving through the pastoral villages. It is suitable for complex outdoor shooting in the plateau.
2. SLASHER Macro Fixed-Focus Group: Capturing the Subtle Warmth of Life
The SLASHER series is a complete set of full-frame prime lenses with built-in macro functionality. The entire lens series covers the humanistic golden focal lengths of 24/35/50/75/100mm.
The imaging style is uniform, the distortion control is excellent, and the light spots are soft and natural. A large number of delicate emotional shots in films are completed by Wanliang prime lenses.
03: CHIOPT cinematic lenses enhance the visual and auditory expression of Tibetan culture.
"Female Rider" is a national key project supported by the State Administration of Radio and Television for high-quality online audiovisual content and a key audiovisual project of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
The creative team insisted on shooting on location, rejecting special effects and filters, striving to restore the most authentic Tibetan life.
This collaboration with "Female Rider" not only represents the contribution of domestic optical technology to the creation of films and television dramas with ethnic minority themes,
but also uses cinematic language to witness the awakening and growth of Tibetan women in the new era.
The film tells more than just a story of a young girl pursuing her dream of horse racing; it conveys two core themes through the lens: first,
female power: breaking down stereotypes and prejudices, proving that women also have the right to pursue their passions, stand on the stage, and define themselves; second,
cultural warmth: using horse racing as a link to bridge the generational gap in values, showcasing the gentle collision between traditional Tibetan customs and modern thought.
04: Viewing Guide
The film *Female Rider* officially premiered on iQiyi on July 15th. Search for the title on the platform to immerse yourself in the Shannan grasslands,
witness the spirited young girl Yangmu riding her horse, and experience the magnificent and pristine snow-covered landscape captured by domestic lenses.
Embark on a healing and inspiring journey about dreams, family, and female empowerment.
The winds of the snowy plateau never cease, and the hooves of dreams never stop; domestic optics advance, telling Chinese stories well. CHIOPT will continue to refine its professional cinema lens products,
empowering more high-quality films and television works with realistic and ethnic themes with its independent optical technology, capturing the myriad aspects of human life through the lens,
and conveying local strength through light and shadow.
