Editor's note: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Of the CPC's 90 million members, many have become pioneers in their respective field and role models for the public. To mark the special occasion, CGTN is rolling out a series of stories featuring CPC members from different walks of life. This episode is about a film projectionist who has dedicated years of his life to screening movies for farmers in remote areas in southwest China's Yunnan Province. 

The highlight of Yang Mingjin's day starts at nightfall, when he starts to prepare film screenings for viewers living in mountainous villages. 

Setting up the improvised screen, debugging the generator and projector, and adjusting the volume of the stereos, he is very familiar with all the procedures of playing a movie. 

The 43-year-old from Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has worked as a volunteer projectionist for more than 20 years. He said his obsession with motion pictures dates back to childhood.

"When I was little, we needed to trample over mountains for a movie played by certain families, who charged 50 cents. Then I thought it'd be great if I could send movies to where they're needed free of charge in the future," Yang recalled, adding that he would exchange an egg "stolen" from home for a movie when he couldn't pay for it.

In the 1980s, rural towns across China established film teams, each equipped with one or two projectionists, who were tasked with promoting culture and agricultural science among the rural population. But such "precious" activity only took place once a month or even several months.

Yang started voluntary screenings in 1998, shortly after he graduated from a vocational school for auto repair, bearing all the cost himself. 

"I've never thought I would earn money by doing this. I did this just because it can bring me and viewers happiness," said Yang.

He said it came as a big challenge at the beginning.

"It's impossible to drive cars on the narrow unsurfaced roads, and the equipment has to be carried by manpower or even horse. In places with wider roads, I'd drive a motorcycle," Yang said.

Sitting on the border with Myanmar, Nujiang Prefecture lies along one of the world's longest canyons. It's home to several unique ethnic groups, such as the Lisu people. Its remoteness has made it one of China's poorest regions. For a while now, "outdoor cinema" has been an entertaining way for locals to learn about the outside world.

Over the past two decades, the dedicated projectionist has toured numerous villages and screened thousands of movies out in the open. He said this has given him a great sense of fulfillment.

On one occasion, an elderly man who couldn't understand Mandarin expressed his desire for Yang to screen movies in the Lisu language.

"Hearing this, I spent three months adapting the projector. When I returned to the village, he was very happy and said I was so nice. It's these moments that make me feel my efforts are worthwhile."

He recalled that his shabby mobile cinema was once very popular among local people.

"The movies with exciting story lines always attracted large crowds, even if they were screened repeatedly," Yang said. 

Harsh natural conditions are just part of the challenge. To carry on with his passion, Yang later set up a tire shop.

"In the past, I only needed to think of myself. But after getting married, I had to get a stable source of income to support my family, so I made every effort to open this store," he said.

In 2018, he encountered the biggest setback in his life: A gas explosion seriously wounded his wife and took away the life of his youngest daughter. But the tragedy didn't stop his passion for film. Instead, his devotion goes far beyond film screening. 

Over the years, he has collected a number of old-fashioned projectors and filmstrips, which are currently exhibited in a government-sponsored venue.

"Next, I want to set up an experience hall, where visitors will be able to learn how to play a traditional film under our guidance. This is one of my biggest wishes," Yang said.

Today, the whole region has been lifted out of extreme poverty and is stepping onto a fast development track. Locals now have more options for entertainment. But Yang believes the open-air cinema will always play a special role, especially for the left-behind children and the elderly.

"Most of the young people have gone to big cities for better employment opportunities. The elderly and children at home are always lonely, so film can not only bring them some fun, it also provides them an opportunity to interact with each other," Yang explained. 

"Watching a movie with others is a very special experience. I hope more movies can be screened in our village in the future," a local woman said. 

Today, the country still attaches importance to film screening in rural areas. Yang was engaged in a government program in 2013 and has been subsidized since then. But he said that he didn't do this for the subsidy.

"I will keep screening films until I'm unable to carry the machines. As long as I have one viewer, I will serve him or her well," he said. 

"As a CPC member, I think it's a responsibility as well as a mission for me."