Pop culture saves cinema

The poster for director Song Fang's arthouse film, Memories Look at Me. Photo provided to China Daily

Top 10 Box Office Hits in 2013

Wang Quan'an may be 'fired' from China Film Directors' Guild

The good news is that China's booming film market has set a new record. The films screened in 2013 earned a total of 21.7 billion yuan, compared to 17 billion yuan in 2012. Fifty-nine movies—32 of which were made in China—crossed the 100 million yuan mark. Domestic films claimed a 58 percent share of the country's film market in 2013—the highest figure since the 2002 reform of the country's film industry.

The industry reports forecast China will have a bigger film market than the United States by 2020.

Seven of China's 10 top-grossing films were domestic productions. The leading film was the fantasy adventure Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, which grossed 1.24 billion.

Some 23 films, including Memories Look at Me, each brought in less than 100,000 yuan.

The reports cite a survey that finds more than 60 percent of filmgoers have at least a college degree. Half are office workers, and 70 percent visit cinemas at least once a month.

About 60 percent are women. And nearly 54 percent are ages 25 to 39. About 33 percent are 18 to 24.

Small-town youth comprise the fast-growing new target market, the reports say.

Less population mobility in second- and third-tier cities provides a captive audience.