AIDS documentary about new movie is released

Together, a documentary on the shooting of Love for Life, a feature film about the romance between two AIDS patients, is available on Sina.com's video channel.

The documentary records how director Gu Changwei led his cast, including Zhang Ziyi, Aaron Kwok, and three real AIDS patients, to make the film, which will premiere on May 10.

Zhang thanks Gu for casting her as Qinqin, an AIDS patient who bravely loves and lives on. She knew little about those suffering from the disease before, she says, but after working with the three AIDS patients she was moved by their optimism.

In both Together and Love for Life, Zhang says she wants to show that AIDS patients deserve more respect and care.

Femina launches Beijing focused fashion magazine

French fashion magazine Femina recently launched its Beijing version, with a big party featuring celebrities like An Yixuan, An Youqi and Yang Yuyu.

The magazine will focus on Beijing fashion, which is both vintage and modern. The first issue features China's top model Qin Shupei showcasing the latest spring/summer collections for 2011.

Femina is part of Hachette Advertising, a French enterprise affiliated with the world's leading media group Lagardere Active. It entered China in 2008, and has six versions published in Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenyang, Hangzhou and Changsha.

SETV rolls out series of new entertainment programs

Fujian-based Southeast Satellite Television (SETV) has announced three new programs.

It will collaborate with eight other channels to launch a talent show Last Choir Standing, which airs every Saturday. The game show This Time Tomorrow invites audiences to take part in games and win big prizes; while the variety show Friends Like These features celebrities playing games with their friends.

The channel also announced it has invited model Li Ai to be the hostess of the program.

Ruby-red porcelain makes its grand entrance in capital

A new type of porcelain called "ruby-red porcelain" was revealed in Beijing on April 20 by the China Ceramic Industrial Association and the Porcelain Bureau of Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province.

Invented by Jiangxi Jingdezhen Yarun Porcelain Company and made by ceramic masters Wang Yansheng and Chen Shengfa, ruby-red porcelain is formed from kaolin white clay, with the addition of the newly discovered purple porcelain ore, and is calcined at 1,380 C temperature.

It is the only type of porcelain in the world that is not white and can bear high-temperature firing without fading in color.

Norway tops the English charts, China is 29th

English First (EF) Education, the world's largest private education company, unveiled the EF EPI (English Proficiency Index) report recently, which ranks English proficiency levels in 44 countries and regions where English is not the native language.

According to the report, Europe dominates with nine out of the top 10 places; Norway is top while the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Finland are the other top five. Hong Kong ranks 12th, while the Chinese mainland is 29th, falling into the low English proficiency category. Latin America has the lowest English proficiency.

Many factors impact the level of English in a population, such as the strength of a country or region's export economy and education and income levels.

Physical fitness among students promoted

Four primary schools and the Science and Technology Museum in the capital's Dongcheng district held a sports festival on Friday at Ditan Sports Center to promote physical fitness among students.

The competition segment started with a bang, as marksman Xu Haifeng, China's first Olympic gold medalist, shot the starting gun.

Hepingli No 1 and No 3 primary schools, Anwaisantiao Primary School, and Zhiranju Primary School demonstrated their physical education programs with gymnastics, football, basketball and martial arts performances.

China Daily