Westerners, and especially Americans, should know about YY, the Chinese social network that’s something like YouTube and Instagram Live, but on cocaine. Hao Wu’s documentary People’s Republic of Desire is a rare dive into the network, which sports more than 300 million active users (Snapchat reports 187 million users) who exchange virtual roses as a currency, with top users making as much as $20,000 a month for apparently doing nothing more than cam-girling without getting naked. It’s surreal. While Wu seems to be unable to land on a subject, the spectacular strangeness of the way people interact on YY is enough to earn viewers’ attention.
People’s Republic of Desire screens Saturday and Sunday (May 19 and 20) at the 44th annual Seattle International Film Festival, which happens through June 10. Showtimes for People’s Republic of Desire here; more recommended SIFF films here; and all SIFF films here.
