The meteoric rise of domestic film

Despite challenges such as shifting audience preferences and the rise of competition from short videos, cinema — which has been around for well over a century — continues to demonstrate its enduring appeal in China, one of the world's largest movie markets.

This summer, one of the most pivotal box office seasons, 284 million tickets, grossing 11.6 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) were sold between June 1 and Aug 31, according to a report by Maoyan Pro, a movie information collection platform.

A record-breaking 38.247 million screenings were held at around 12,000 cinemas, surpassing all previous summer seasons in the history of Chinese cinema. In all, 26 movies exceeded the blockbuster threshold of 100 million yuan in revenues, the highest figure in six years, according to the report.

Enhanced by the successful season from the Spring Festival to the May Day holiday, this year's box office revenue has already surpassed 33 billion yuan, a figure that would have been impossible, even on an annual basis, just a decade ago. For comparison, in 2014, annual ticket revenues were 29.6 billion yuan.

For most domestic film industry insiders, 2014 marked the starting point of unprecedented expansion, from installing the world's largest number of silver screens, to progress in cinematic techniques.

On Oct 15, 2014, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Forum on Literature and Art Work in Beijing, in which he said that the most fundamental aspect of promoting the prosperity and development of literature and art was to create and produce outstanding work that is worthy of the nation and the era.

The speech emphasized that artists should strive to create and produce more work that disseminates contemporary Chinese values, embodies the spirit of Chinese culture, and reflects Chinese aesthetics.

Mao Yu, deputy director of the China Film Administration, the sectors top regulator, said that the Chinese film industry has progressed significantly and rapidly over the past ten years, making this decade a remarkable chapter in the history of the country's cinema.

Yin Hong, vice-chairman of the China Film Association, said that the majority of the 50 top domestic films in box office rankings were produced within the last ten years, and attributed this to the continued growth of the domestic market, and the emergence of talented filmmakers.

Statistics from the administration show that the box-office proportion of domestic films as a percentage of total yearly receipts rose from 54.51 percent in 2014 to 83.77 percent in 2023, demonstrating a substantial increase in appeal.

In 2014, half of the top ten highest-grossing films of the year were foreign blockbusters, with Michael Bay's Transformers: Age of Extinction earning nearly 2 billion yuan, and becoming the box office champion. The top spot on the box office charts in each subsequent year has been held by a Chinese film.

Examples include the war drama The Eight Hundred in 2020, the war epic The Battle at Lake Changjin and its sequel in 2021 and 2022, and the historic suspense film Full River Red last year.

Yan Xuexin, a host of movie events, said that he has transitioned from being a Hollywood blockbuster enthusiast to a fan of Chinese-language films over the past decade, due to the increasing diversification of genres and improved storytelling.

Having previously worked as a journalist, Yan recalled being impressed during his first interview in 2015 with Shen Teng and Ma Li, relatively unknown comedians at the time, who were promoting their film Goodbye Mr Loser.

The movie, which combined intense humor with a fantastical storyline about a middle-aged man traveling back in time to high school to pursue unlikely dreams, became a surprise success, turning Shen and Ma into some of the most sought-after stars in the industry today.

Dong Runnian, who is known for making the award-winning comedy Johnny Keep Walking!, said that comedy has become one of the most popular genres with Chinese audiences, adding that the most commercially successful films not only entertain, but also explore socially relevant topics that resonate with the public.

The top five highest-grossing films of this year are all comedies, the top earner being female director Jia Ling's YOLO. The film explores the way ordinary individuals can develop confidence through the inspirational story of an overweight woman working toward success. The second and third highest-grossing comedies are Pegasus 2, which follows a racing car driver dealing with a midlife crisis as he strives for unexpected victory, and Successor, which centers on a wealthy family that pretends to be poor to toughen up their son.

In addition to comedies, other genres such as espionage, sci-fi, animation, and action are also experiencing a rise in appeal and aesthetics, said Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association.

"Chinese filmmakers are aiming to make breakthroughs. Nowadays, movies are more than just art; they also serve as a tool for theatergoers to discuss trendy social topics, making emotional resonance important," says Rao.

Over the past decade, an increasing number of domestic films have made their way overseas, with one notable example being the sequel to The Wandering Earth, which was widely seen as ushering in a new era for Chinese sci-fi. According to statistics from the China Film Group Corporation, it has been shown in 40 countries and regions.

"Hard sci-fi films like The Wandering Earth franchise demonstrate a Chinese approach to humanism and spirit, and attract overseas Chinese and foreign moviegoers with their fresh perspective," said Liu Chun, vice-president of the China Film Group Corporation.

"As a form of cultural art, movies have the ability to depict the real-life experiences of modern society, capturing emotions and sentiments. We hope that more international viewers will gain a deeper understanding of China's history, culture, and values through domestic films," Liu added.