Diverse domestic film productions lead summer box office to record high

BEIJING -- As of Monday, the Chinese mainland's total box office revenue for the summer movie season spanning from June to August had exceeded 19 billion yuan ($2.64 billion). This is more than twice the figure for the whole summer movie season last year and also higher than the previous summer box office record of 17.78 billion yuan set in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The box office milestone this year can also be seen as a triumph for domestic movies and China's film industry. According to box office tracker Dengta Data, the top six highest-grossing films on this year's summer box office chart so far are all domestic productions, which represent a diverse range of genres.

Leading the chart is the suspense thriller "Lost in the Stars," which is about a woman disappearing on an overseas trip. In second and third place, respectively, are the crime drama "No More Bets" and the fantasy epic "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms." These two films are followed by the sports movie "Never Say Never," the animated feature "Chang An," and the comedy-drama "One and Only."

As a frequently applied theme for domestic movies, traditional Chinese culture remains a major attraction. "Kingdom of Storms" is the first installment of a trilogy based on the household Chinese fantasy novel "Investiture of the Gods," which features mythological stories taking place in ancient China's Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) and Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC). The film used various methods, such as prosthetic makeup and visual effects, to bring gods, monsters and other fantasy characters to life.

Now the second highest-grossing domestic animated film screened on the mainland ever, "Chang An" depicts the stories of the "Immortal Poet" Li Bai from the perspective of his friend and also a famous poet Gao Shi. Featuring dozens of well-known poems from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the film has been rated 8.3 out of 10 points on the leading film rating platform Douban, and is proving especially popular with young people.

The use of traditional culture in domestic movies is a "presentation of the profound Chinese culture with movie art," said Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association. "Chinese filmmakers have made their contribution to passing on and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture," Rao said.

Observers also noted other themes which closely relate to people's real lives. With a total revenue of over 2.8 billion yuan so far, "No More Bets" offers a glimpse into the complex web of overseas cyber fraud, while "One and Only" tells the story of breakdancers against the backdrop of the Asian Games, to be hosted in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

"These productions give the audience a deep and warm touch of social reality, prompting Chinese filmmakers to create more high-quality films driven by a profound understanding of the real world," said Zhang Zongwei, a professor with the Communication University of China.

Industry insiders believe that film industrialization progress in China, characterized by a higher level of specialization in labor roles, has been a driving force behind the country's film sector growth, which has led to a surge in domestic smash hits.

During the Spring Festival holiday season in February this year, China's homegrown sci-fi blockbuster "The Wandering Earth 2" impressed audiences with its spectacular visual effects and captivating storytelling. Director Guo Fan said his team had employed a myriad of technologies, such as 3D printing, CNC machining, and laser engraving, to improve efficiency in creating intricate props.

China has outlined measures for promoting the sound development of the country's film industry. Issued by the China Film Administration in late 2021, a national plan set goals in this regard for the 2021-25 period.

The plan proposed efforts focused on fostering key sci-tech achievements in the filmmaking field with independent intellectual property rights, solidifying the foundation of film industrialization, enhancing special effects techniques, and refining the film industry's standardization system.

"After a period of exploration, we have seen a number of young filmmakers and workers with a clear idea of the film industry, who will play an important role in promoting the continuous progress of film industrialization," said Zhi Feina, a professor with the Chinese National Academy of Arts.