In recent years, the Chinese mainland's film market has swiftly rebounded and flourished. Last year, the box office raked in 54.9 billion yuan ($7.5 billion), up 83 percent from 2022, far exceeding the global growth rate of 30.5 percent. Globally, the Chinese mainland ranked second with a box office of $7.5 billion, accounting for 23 percent of the total. Eight Chinese films, including Full River Red, secured spots in the top 30 highest-grossing films worldwide.
This year's Spring Festival film season continued the fervor, concluding with a record-breaking box office of 8.01 billion yuan and setting a new benchmark for the holiday period. The Chinese mainland has played a paramount role in the recovery of the global film industry, with its influence continually rising.
In terms of overseas distribution, Chinese films have made significant breakthroughs. Earlier this year, Sony Pictures acquired the global distribution rights for YOLO, marking the first time Sony has purchased the global rights for a Chinese mainland film it did not co-produce. It is also the first Chinese film Sony has globally distributed in nine years. In February, a two-day advance screening of Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms was held in France, with over 400 showings and more than 60 percent of the audience being French. Its box office performance far exceeded expectations, and on July 10, Creation of the Gods will be released across France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, marking the largest release of a Chinese film in France to date.
Mid-March saw the release of the animation Deep Sea in over 400 French theaters. With over ten thousand showings, Deep Sea broke the record for the highest number of screenings of a Chinese animated film in France. Additionally, No More Bets broke multiple records in Malaysia and Singapore after its release, setting new box office highs for Chinese films in those regions. Films like Hidden Blade and Born to Fly have also been well-received in countries like Thailand. High-quality, highly-rated Chinese films are becoming a cinematic window to tell China's stories.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
