With the important responsibility of preserving the official history of the country, continuing the civilization of the nation, and expressing emotions for the people, representatives of the national documentary industry recently gathered in Tai'an, Shandong to conduct in-depth discussions on topics such as the form, narrative, and dissemination of documentaries at the "2025 First China Documentary High Quality Development Forum", revealing multiple explorations of the development of the documentary industry. The new platform has given birth to a new form of "micro documentary". By the end of 2025, the micro documentary "National Treasure Moment" will quietly become popular on TV screens and the internet. Every day for five minutes, get to know a national treasure and immerse yourself in ultra high definition imagery to lead the audience on a journey of civilization that transcends time and space. Shi Jie, Deputy Director of the Radio and Television Development Research Center of the State Administration of Radio and Television, stated that currently, long documentaries are still the main brand in the industry. However, with the rise of short video platforms and the popularity of micro dramas, the documentary industry has also seen new development trends. "Micro documentaries" with a duration of only a few minutes have further enriched the content and forms of documentary films, and a number of excellent works have emerged. Micro documentaries such as "The Rush to Youth" and "Crossing Over" have enhanced the attractiveness of documentaries with their light size, short length, and low cost, using cultural resonance and new forms of content; Micro documentaries such as "Chinese Official Admonitions" and "Unforgettable Archives" rely on new technologies such as virtual filming to make cultural relics and history more vivid... "One characteristic of micro documentaries is to break away from the traditional documentary image style of" commentary+visuals ", and strive to explore the creative paradigm of mainstream values, shaping film and television methods, storytelling voice narration, and empowering new technological means. ”Hunan Radio and Television Station Director Gong Zhengwen said. By deeply integrating with social media, micro documentaries can also provide overseas audiences with a more convenient way to understand and learn about China. The "2025 China Documentary High Quality Development Research Report" released by the forum stated that micro documentaries such as the "Li Ziqi's Rural Life" series and "Encounter in China" have received widespread attention at home and abroad, providing an efficient channel for telling Chinese stories well. In the 35 episode series, "Encounter in China" tells the true stories of 35 groups of friendly exchanges between Chinese and foreign people, from mutual assistance in career to emotional communication, vividly presenting touching and warm scenes. Industry insiders point out that the rise of micro documentaries is not only a form of innovation empowered by technology, but also an inevitable choice for documentaries to actively adapt to the media ecology and meet the needs of the audience. It cuts into the living scene with a light posture and conveys the voice of the times with more flexible narrative, becoming a new force that cannot be ignored in the high-quality development of documentaries. Emphasizing both "big themes" and "small incisions", from the pursuit of the diverse and sustainable development of the Chinese nation and civilization in "Why China" to the immersive recording of the joy and vigilance of ordinary people in "The Land of Cherish"; From showcasing the depth of thousands of years of civilization in "Records of Chinese History" to telling vivid stories about rural China in 100 villages in "China in the Village"... This forum released excellent documentary cases from the 14th Five Year Plan period and recommended documentary films for 2025, demonstrating the unique function of documentary films in preserving history and disseminating mainstream values, as well as the creative orientation of emphasizing both "big themes" and "small incisions". The creation of thematic documentaries greatly tests narrative ability, that is, the ability to integrate and transform materials on grand themes. ”Documentary director Wang Yiyan, who has filmed works such as "National Day Chronicle" and "Century of Light and Shadow", said. Director Gan Chao of "Why China" stated that the biggest difficulty in creating this film lies in organizing a massive amount of materials into a work that has both thematic ideas and is connected to today. To this end, he led his team to visit hundreds of archaeological and site museums across the country, striving to restore historical scenes, let cultural relics and sites tell the story of Chinese civilization, and enhance the authenticity and infectiousness of historical expression. If the "big theme" is committed to building a grand narrative and consolidating the consensus of the times, then the "small incision" allows the audience to perceive the temperature of life through a micro perspective and discover the power of progress in the ordinary - Chinese documentaries are recording China in a diverse and three-dimensional way. The film 'Cherished Land' focuses on the residents of 13 ethnic groups in an ordinary community on Liuxing Street in Yining, Xinjiang, recording their daily lives of three meals a year. It not only showcases the happiness of the community, but also highlights the spirit of the times of unity, struggle, and common prosperity and development among all ethnic groups. We have always believed that truth and the common emotions of humanity are the most powerful language when creating this documentary. ”According to Ou Xiaolan, the chief producer of 'Cherish the Land', the trustworthy and lovely stories of China are hidden in these ordinary, real, and warm Chinese people one after another. The documentary "The Continent of the Great River", which ranks among the excellent documentary cases during the 14th Five Year Plan period for making the world understand Chinese stories, reflects the important role of Shandong and even China in the global ecosystem through the survival stories of rare animals and plants, and has won mainstream television awards in the United States. We have broken free from the limitations of filming Shandong, and systematically sorted out the topic selection and layout from the broad perspective of Chinese civilization and even world civilization. ”The director of the film and the chief editor of Shandong Radio and Television Station, Zhou Shengkuo, said. Documentary director Liang Bibo, who has filmed works such as "Three Sections of Grass" and "Panda Adventure", pointed out that as an important form of international communication, documentaries can make the real image of China visible to more people in the international community. However, when telling Chinese stories well, attention should be paid to "telling Chinese stories that the world can understand". Industry insiders say that international exchange and cooperation can bring a different perspective to telling the story of China well, and can also open up new channels for dissemination. The natural ecology documentary "Wild Guangdong" co produced by Guangdong Broadcasting and Television Station and the British Broadcasting Corporation has been broadcasted on multiple domestic and international platforms, with over 100 million views in just one day; The documentaries "Watching the Crown Spotted Rhinoceros Bird" and "Ark Bryde's Whale" co produced by Guangxi Radio and Television Station and Thai National Television Station showcase the successful cooperation between China and Thailand in the field of natural ecological protection, and are broadcasted simultaneously on both television stations. We will establish a global ecological documentary production and broadcasting alliance, collect topics and production subjects from global documentary production institutions every year, and promote the gathering of global documentary resources in Guangdong. ”Cai Fuqing, the director of Guangdong Radio and Television Station, said. In addition to traditional television stations, video platforms such as Bilibili, Tencent Video, and Youku have also established partnerships with overseas companies such as the British Broadcasting Corporation, Warner Bros. Exploration Group, and Disney to achieve the exchange and mutual learning of excellent documentaries through commissioned production, IP derivative development, and film procurement. In the science fiction documentary "Future Roaming Guide" jointly produced by Bilibili and the British Broadcasting Corporation, Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin had a dialogue with representatives of cutting-edge scientific research fields around the world. After its launch, it has been viewed millions of times and won mainstream television awards in the UK. The continuous exchange and cooperation among peers in the global documentary industry is an important force in promoting industry development and progress. ”Zhang Yuan, director of the Bilibili Documentary Center, said. (New Society)