Xu Jinglei to release a financial thriller

Xu Jinglei, the first female Chinese director to gross more than 100 million yuan ($14.7 million), announced she has a new film in the works, in Beijing. The financial thriller, Confidential, will star Xu and Taiwan singer Stanley Huang. The duo led the cast in Xu's last directorial work Go Lala Go.

Xu, a famous actress before she directed her maiden film in 2002, says Confidential may be the last film she both directs and stars in.

The film, set in Chengdu, Hong Kong, New York and some Australian cities, revolves around battling bankers.

The film will premiere in December.

Liu Tao returns to success after giving birth to boy

Actress Liu Tao's first work after giving birth to her son has won acclaim.

How Qianduoduo Meets Her Mr Right, the online serial broadcast on Web portal Sohu.com's video channel saw 50 million clicks in a month, says the website.

It is the first online serial the website has created, echoing the rising trend of websites making their own shows. The series comprises 22 episodes of 10 minutes each. The light office romance will screen at the Cannes TV Festival in early May.

Spotlight on bronze-drum culture of ethnic groups

Bronze drums are an important aspect of the cultural heritage of the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups living in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region of South China. They were included as part of the nation's intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

Seen as a symbol of solemnity and good luck, the drums are played during important events and festivals.

The 1st Donglan International Bronze Drum Culture-Tourism Festival, that kicked off in Donglan county recently, is an attempt to showcase the bronze-drum culture of the two ethnic groups.

Donglan is recognized as the "home of bronze drums" for its long history and continuing tradition of bronze-drum performances. It is estimated that about 600 old bronze drums are still in use in the autonomous region.

A private museum, housing more than 100 vividly designed bronze drums, dating back to different periods, also opened with the festival.

Most trustworthy TV spokespeople named

The 2011 Forum for World's Top 8 TV Ads Powers was held recently at Haitang Bay, Sanya, in Hainan province.

Jointly hosted by China Federation of Literature and Chinese Television Artists Association, the forum focused on the topic of "Transformation from Made in China to Created in China", gathering together spokespersons for international media and advertising companies from the United States, Britain, Japan and Finland as guest speakers.

At the forum, movie stars Ge You and Xu Qing were honored as "The Most Trustworthy TV Commercial Spokesperson".

Animation industry gets mobile TV boost

Communication University of China (CUC) and the Mobile TV of Xinhua News Agency have agreed to launch an animation channel on Xinhua Mobile TV, offering cell phone users lively cartoon and animation shows.

Combining CUC's advantage in cultivating animation professionals and Xinhua Mobile TV's exemplary experience in emerging new-media industries, the channel will provide an effective new-media platform for the country's animated works. According to the agreement, CUC's Animation School will be in charge of designing the channel's programs.

Publishing house celebrates its 60th anniversary

People's Literature Publishing House (PLPH) celebrated its 60th anniversary in late March, in Beijing. The first and largest professional literature-publishing house of New China, PLPH has published more than 12,000 titles over the years. Its publications include literature from more than 70 countries and regions across the world.

Fifteen books have won the Mao Dun Literary Award, the country's top literary award. Publishers and editors who have worked at PLPH, such as Feng Xuefeng, Wei Junyi and Yan Wenjing, feature prominently in the country's publishing industry.