STORY: Domestic movies lead strong film market recovery in China
DATELINE: July 31, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:03
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: CULTURE/ECONOMY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of summer movie season related footage
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG XIAOQIAN, Moviegoer
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WU CHAOFENG, Deputy general manager of Shanghai Jiading Cinema
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HUANG JIEYU, Moviegoer
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHANG LINGFENG, Manager of Guiyang Cross Cinema
 
STORYLINE:
 
China's box office for the summer movie season, which runs from June 1 to Aug. 31, is blossoming, with the revenue exceeding 12.6 billion yuan (about 1.76 billion U.S. dollars) as of Sunday.
 
The figure was boosted by the roaring commercial success of domestic blockbusters like "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms" and "Chang An," which are popular options for moviegoers.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG XIAOQIAN, Moviegoer
"I prefer domestic movies, for example, 'Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms.' It's a classic work that we all know of, so it has something that we can connect with."
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WU CHAOFENG, Deputy general manager of Shanghai Jiading Cinema
"With discounted ticket prices on weekends, the attendance for 'Chang An' at our cinema reaches 90 percent, indicating the popularity of this movie."
 
As of Sunday, four of the five highest-grossing films during this year's summer movie season were domestic productions, earning over 8 billion yuan (about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars) in total, according to Dengta Data.
 
SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HUANG JIEYU, Moviegoer
"I think domestic movies have become better and better, especially considering the subjects and the values they convey. They are very positive. I think Chinese domestic movies will have a bigger market in the future."
 
SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHANG LINGFENG, Manager of Guiyang Cross Cinema
"Domestic movies focus more on stories against local backgrounds and related to local cultures. They reflect the society and tell authentic stories so that they resonate with a broader audience. I think many domestic movies are more innovative, in a way that the audience can identify with the characters."
 
On the other hand, as noted by moviegoers and industry observers, Hollywood movies are losing their appeal with Chinese audiences and their influence as a whole is waning in China.
 
China's summer movie season is set to sizzle with the releases of more than 110 new films, according to screening schedules. Industry observers believe that a fully-recovered film industry will be foreseeable.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)