"A Chinese distributor has purchased it. I hope Beyond the Clouds will be released in China next year," says Majidi.

Majidi was once invited as one of five foreign masters to shoot a five-minute promo for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He says he has since shaped an idea about depicting the conflict between a Chinese boy and his grandmother, who respectively represent yearning for a modern life and the persistence of tradition.

"I have been thinking about the script and polishing it for a decade. I'm talking to some Chinese filmmakers and hope I can shoot the story in China," says Majidi.

"Iran and China share a lot of similarities in culture. China has a huge film market. I expect more cooperation in cinema."

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn