Hasta La Creative!

Alibaba, already an e-commerce giant, wants to be a movie studio, too. The Chinese internet giant is preparing to make its first film, based on a short story from a writer who was discovered when his work went viral on social media. Meanwhile, the company is plotting to leverage its marketing power to promote its entertainment offerings.

Alibaba announced this week that it is recruiting major talents for its first movie project. Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai (“In the Mood for Love”) is producing, actor Tony Leung will star, and bestselling author Zhang Jiajia will direct the movie based on his own short story, “Bai Du Ren,” or “Ferrymen.”

China’s internet giants are battling to control entertainment content in a country where online video is a hot growth area (if not really profitable yet), and where last year’s box office sales surged 36%. But how exactly do Alibaba’s filmmaking ambitions fit with its e-commerce business?

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