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

Documentary director Liu Junwei had been planning to make a documentary about Zhongguancun, China's entrepreneurial and innovation hub in Beijing, for years. But he needed a peg for the story. And 2018 provided the perfect opportunity as it was the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up.

Speaking about why he wanted to make the documentary, Liu says: "Everyone has heard of Zhongguancun, but some still think it's a market for electronic goods."

As he researched Zhongguancun, he realized the electronics market was just the outcome of one phase of the area's development.

So what is the secret of Zhongguancun, and what does it mean for the social and economic development of today's society?

With these questions in mind, Liu started to shoot the documentary.

The six-episode documentary named after the area, aired in December on the science and education channel of China Central Television, looks at Chinese entrepreneurs and internet companies such as Baidu, Sohu and Netease.

According to Jin Ling, the producer, the documentary took 18 months to complete.

"Many think that Zhongguancun is just a place in Beijing's Haidian district, but this documentary also includes 17 locations in the city," says Jin.

A special film crew took more than one year to shoot scenes in Zhongguancun in different seasons. And a research team was assigned to collect historical material, including photos, videos, documents and newspapers that would showcase the story of Zhongguancun.

A night view of Zhongguancun, where the innovation hub is located in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"The first generation of the entrepreneurs provided us with many rare materials, including old photos, mails, manuscripts and products," says Jin.

And museums and corporate archives were also sources of material for the research team, as they contained documents such as the first registration certificate of a privately owned high-tech company.

"We also got material from the public. For example, an early Lenovo computer in the documentary is borrowed from a technology enthusiast," says Jin.

The documentary features more than 100 people, including entrepreneurs, scientists, professionals, government officials and others who witnessed the development of Zhongguancun. Ni Guangnan from the Chinese Academy of Engineering impressed Liu with his attitude.

"He is still thinking about development and industrialization, and he is also helping young people," says Liu.

In still images from the six-episode documentary, Zhongguancun, an entrepreneur holds his product. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Two themes connect the stories in the six-episode documentary-one is the timeline and the other focuses on the development of Zhongguancun, from independent innovation centers there to market reforms and international cooperation.

"The significance of Zhongguancun is to show how science and technology is the primary productive force, and the importance of fundamental research and talent training," says Liu.

One of Liu's interviewees says in the film that Zhongguancun is a top hub of scientific and technological innovation.

Liu says the people in Zhongguancun "live in the future".

"Our discussion about the significance of Zhongguancun is actually exploring the future," Liu adds.