Editor

With an estimated 1.3 billion people living in China, the use of the internet is increasing more and more everyday. For some, the Web is a tool and for others it's an obsession. The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) is honored to introduce the 2010 HIFF Interactive spotlight on China's largest and fastest growing video sharing website to date called TUDOU.com to share some insight into the ever expanding digital content world of China.

TUDOU.com is not the "YouTube of China." Or, that's not what they are now. Launched in 2005, TUDOU.com, which means "couch potato" in Chinese, allows users to upload, view and share video clips. During the summer of 2007, Nielsen/NetRatings reported that Tudou was one of the fastest growing websites on the Web, growing from 131 to 360 million video clips per week in just three months. According to a July 16, 2007, survey, 55 million video clips are viewed daily on Tudou, with an additional 20,000 new videos uploaded every 24 hours. Neilsen's measurements indicate the website averages nearly 40 million visitors per month. According to Chinese tracking service iResearch, as of the mid-2007, Tudou has over 50% of the Chinese online video market. iResearch reported Tudou's monthly unique visitor reached 95 million as of June 2009, and 170 million as of June 2010.

With the increasing amount of videos being posted each day on the site, TUDOU.com Founder/CEO Gary Wang launched the Tudou Video Festival empowering users to showcase their work in competition. Out of 5,000 participants who entered ranging in videos from animation to relationships, one winner took home the prize as Best Video of the Year.

This year's winner, THE WAR ON INTERNET ADDICTION, a Machinima film directed by Sexy Corn, was shot inside the World of Warcraft game, with the actors being 100 gamers who performed via their characters inside the system. Tudou has also produced their first internet drama series, an overall strategy to target China's 250 million young netizens.

A panel discussion providing insight on the company's history, their overall strategy, and navigating China's content restrictions will precede the screening of THE WAR ON INTERNET ADDICTION.

Tudou is also hosting a HIFF mini-site, promoting this year's Festival and the special spotlight on Chinese cinema that is being presented, including the following:

Opening Night Film: UNDER THE HAWTHORN TREE directed by Zhang Yimou, with the famed director in attendance, as well as the two main leads, Dongyu Zhou and Xiao Dou.

Maverick Award to Chinese-American icon Nancy Kwan and her documentary, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: KA-SHEN'S JOURNEY

Award for Career Achievement to filmmaker couple LI Qiankuan and XIAO Guiyun and the International premiere of their latest work THE STAR AND THE SEA.

Filmmaker in Focus on Sixth Generation director JIA Zhang-ke with a presentation of his latest film, I WISH I KNEW (also in competition for the Halekulani Award for Best Documentary), and a return engagement of his seminal work, PICKPOCKET and CRY ME A RIVER.

Special delegations from Shanghai International Film Festival (HIFF's sister festival) and the Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group (SMEG).

Presenting over 25 films from China, including the U.S. premieres of APART TOGETHER (starring Lisa Lu), OCEAN HEAVEN (starring Jet Li in his first dramatic role), THE CHEF, THE BUTCHER AND THE SWORDSMAN, the action comedy of the year.


TUDOU: NETIZEN POWER AND THE RISE OF CREATIVE CONTENT IN DIGITAL CHINA
Tuesday, October 19 I 3:00 PM I 120M

WAR ON INTERNET ADDICTION
China | 2010 | 64 m
Director: Sexy Corn

WAR ON INTERNET ADDICTION was a fully volunteer project contributed by a group of avid online gamers in China, organized by director and screenwriter Sexy Corn. Based on the storyline, 100 gamers congregated on the game platform, performed with their virtual characters in the game setting, captured all the video game screenshots from the lengthy process, edited and recorded his own voiceover narration.


This landmark season will feature 214 films from 40 plus different countries. HIFF's 2010 program is being held at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Cinemas from October 14 -24. Tickets are on sale now. General admission tickets are available for $12 or $10 for students, seniors, children and military. Tickets may be purchased in person at HIFF's box office at 680 Iwilei Road #101 from Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Cinemas or by phone at (808) 447-0577.

Festival Information
Established in 1981, the Hawaii International Film Festival, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. HIFF is the premier international film event in the Pacific and has won the praise of governments, filmmakers, scholars, educators, programmers and film industry leaders throughout the world. For the discovery and exhibition of Asian and Pacific features, documentaries and short films in the nation, it is a primary source. The festival has premiered such movies as ONCE WERE WARRIORS, THE PIANO, SHINE, SHALL WE DANCE, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. Plus, DEPARTURES, a Japanese film, had its U.S. premiere at HIFF in 2008, won the HIFF Audience Award and then went on to win the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

HIFF's major sponsors include: Regal Entertainment Group, Halekulani Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Authority, The Vilcek Foundation, and EuroCinema Hawaii.
The 2010 Hawaii International Film Festival will be held October 14 - 24.
Images of the films can be downloaded at http://picasaweb.google.com/hiff2009images/2010HIFFFall?authkey=Gv1sRgCN....
For more information please visit our website at www.hiff.org.


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