Nigerian Filmmaker Says Xinjiang Is One of the Warmest Places He's Ever Been
来源：世界旅游报
2026-01-21 21:27
In this episode of InXinjiang, we invited Temitayo (Tayo), a Nigerian filmmaker, creative director, and co-founder of Limecut Studios in Shanghai, to share his firsthand experience during his first visit to Xinjiang.
For Tayo, who had lived in China for many years, this was his first time traveling to the region. Visiting cities including Kashi and Urumqi, he explored Xinjiang through the eyes of a visual storyteller — observing its architecture, spatial order, light and color, as well as the way cultural traditions continue to be preserved in everyday life. In his view, Xinjiang carries a unique "cinematic texture."
Reflecting on the negative portrayals of Xinjiang in some Western media, Tayo spoke candidly: media narratives are not the same as lived experience. Through conversations with local residents, close observation of street life, and encounters with traditional craftsmanship and music, he came to a clear conclusion — to truly understand a place, there is no substitute for seeing it with your own eyes and feeling it for yourself.
"I don't think that someone who's not happy is gonna be offering you free tea," Tayo said. For him, Xinjiang is one of the places in China where human warmth is felt most deeply.
Source: Xinjiang Today Media Hub, Tianshannet
Editor: Lan Zheng