People’s Republic of Desire
Join us on 21 February 2019 for the screening of People’s Republic of Desire by Hao Wu
A documentary by Hao Wu.
Rating: NC16 (Some coarse language)
Running Time: 95 mins
Language: Mandarin (with English subtitles)
People’s Republic of Desire tells the stories of two online stars who have risen from obscurity to fame and fortune in China. The film takes us on a verité journey through their live streaming showrooms, which have become virtual gathering places for millions—from the super-rich who lavish the performers with digital gifts, to poor migrant workers who worship them. The subjects are brought together through a series of bizarre online idol competitions, where they discover that happiness in their virtual world may be as elusive as in the real one.
The film won the Grand Jury Winner award in the Documentary Feature category at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival and in the International Documentary category at the 2018 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The film also competed at the 2018 Stockholm International Film Festival.