Peppa Pig to celebrate Chinese New Year with special film
- New characters include Dumpling and Glutinous Rice Ball, both popular Chinese New Year delicacies
- The British cartoon character that fell foul with Chinese censors last year
China will mark the Year of the Pig with a film starring Peppa Pig, the much-loved British cartoon character that fell foul with Chinese censors last year.
Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year will hit Chinese screens on February 5, the first day of Chinese New Year and the first day of the Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Pig. The film is co-produced by Canadian media company Entertainment One (eOne) and Alibaba Pictures (part of the Alibaba Group, which owns the South China Morning Post).
It is the first animated cartoon in China to feature live shooting with a cast including household names such as Zhu Yawen and Liu Yun. It will include Chinese New Year traditions like dragon dancing and dumpling wrapping.
“The Peppa Pig series emphasises the importance of family values, and that is something that will deeply resonate with Chinese audiences,” says Wei Zhang, president of Alibaba Pictures, adding the project is a vital opportunity to promote cultural exchange between China and the West.
