For fans of traditional culture, the film I Am What I Am（雄狮少年）, which was first shown in the cinema on December 17, 2021, can be a good choice. The 104-minute film has connected the lion dance culture with a teenager's pursuit（追求）of his dream.
Set in Guangdong Province, the film is about the growth of a left-behind teenager named A Juan. He met a girl who had the exact same name. Encouraged by her, A Juan made up his mind to form a lion dance team with his two close friends A Mao and A Gou. After being trained by a master, the three took part in a lion dance competition in Guangzhou. Although later A Juan had to work to support his family, he still bravely followed his dream—becoming the best lion dancer.
"It opens a new world for China's animated（动画）film," said an animator. Unlike most Chinese animated films today, which have to do with myths（神话）or fairy tales, I Am What I Am sets eyes on reality. This is not very common in the animation field in China. "I've always wanted to make an animated film about our real life. And I remembered the lion dance performances at festivals. They were so beautiful, colourful and folk. That inspired me to make a film about lion dance," said the director.
The film has got high marks on different websites. Although it's not perfect, many people are deeply moved. It shows not only the beauty of Chinese culture but also the spirit of the nation, according to CCTV news.
