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Chinese cinema ticket sales hit record US$1.7 billion in February

  • Country overtook the US as world’s biggest market for cinema ticket sales last year as American box office took a massive hit from Covid-19
  • Time-travelling comedy Hi, Mom was month’s top earner, taking more than US$670 million yuan

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The time-travelling comedy Hi, Mom, written, directed and starring Jia Ling, was the top earner at the Chinese box office in February. Photo: AFP
Associated Press

The thrills and chills of the big screen are back in the world’s largest film market.

With the coronavirus well under control in China and cinemas running at half capacity, film-goers are smashing box office records, setting a new high mark for ticket sales in February, with domestic productions far outpacing their Hollywood competitors.

February was China’s all-time biggest month for movie ticket sales, surpassing 11.2 billion yuan (US$1.7 billion). The country overtook the US as the world’s biggest market for cinema ticket sales last year as the American box office took a massive hit because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Chinese cinemas were able to reopen by midyear and have seen steady audience growth since then. Local films have also benefited from periodic unofficial “blackout” periods, when only domestic productions are allowed to be screened. A dearth of major Hollywood blockbusters over recent months appears to have also boosted the market for Chinese films.

According to the China Movie Data Information Network, 95 per cent of ticket sales came from the seven top-grossing films timed for release around the Lunar New Year festival. Photo: AP
According to the China Movie Data Information Network, 95 per cent of ticket sales came from the seven top-grossing films timed for release around the Lunar New Year festival. Photo: AP
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“People were encouraged to stay in Beijing for the Lunar New Year, and so watching films in the cinema became the top choice for entertainment,” said Chu Donglei, marketing manager at Poly Cinema’s Tiananmen branch in central Beijing.
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