'Green Book' sets example for movie makers: Jack Ma

Imaginechina

Chinese business tycoon Jack Ma said he had watched "Green Book" three times and encouraged Chinese film makers to learn from the Oscar-winning movie after watching it in an advance screening in downtown Beijing Monday night.

"I've enjoyed the 'Green Book' thrice...and may watch it a few more times," Ma, the charismatic founder and chairman of e-commerce giant Alibaba told the audience. "Alibaba Pictures will introduce more movies like this into China. And we will learn from them and gradually produce movies like this."

Alibaba Pictures, the entertainment arm of Alibaba Group, is a co-producer of "Green Book", which won the awards for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday.

"I felt our world is still a very warm place after watching 'Green Book'." A good movie does not have to take a lot of money or an earthshaking plot, Ma said. He has vowed to use movies to bring happiness to people on various occasions since launching Alibaba Pictures in 2014.

Ma also advised Chinese film makers to pursue their passion instead of fame and money to make a truly good movie.

Liu Chuanzhi, founder of Lenovo, one of world's largest computer makers, said on the same occasion that he loved "Green Book" because it focuses on the progressive and bright side of the world, providing lubrication to worldly troubles. "We need more movies like this to make the world a better place," he said.

Set in the 1960s, "Green Book" is based on a true story about a tour of the racially divided South by African-American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Tony Vallelonga, an Italian-American bouncer who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard.

Alibaba Pictures became the first internet film company to co-produce an Oscar best picture winner, the company said on Weibo, China's most popular microblogging website. And "Green Book" will be released in China on March 1.