bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Yaling Jiang

Cinema box office sales in China during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday hit a 10-year low amid the country’s ongoing coronavirus control measures in various cities.
Sales for the three-day holiday that started on Friday totalled 178 million yuan (US$26.7 million) by noon on Sunday, according to figures from ticketing platform Maoyan. This was the lowest in 10 years and compares with 251 million in 2013, when the country’s total number of movie screens was about 80 per cent less than the current number of 82,248.
The weak performance follows a similar 10-year low in box office sales for the three-day Ching Ming holiday this April, and occurred even though 80 per cent of cinemas were in operation over the long weekend, according to analytics firm Dengta, which is owned by the Post’s owner Alibaba Group Holding.
Maoyan did not disclose box office takings for the Dragon Boat Holiday in 2020, when Covid-19 first spread across China and cinemas were closed for 175 days.
“The main reason for this plunge [in takings] is Covid-19, which has affected cinema opening times and the scheduling of new films,” said Han Siqi, a film and TV critic, adding that it would only be fair to attribute any downturn to other factors when the situation returns to normal.
No titles in May has market guessing if China is freezing video games again
Yu Sikun, an analyst at research firm LeadLeo, agreed that the lacklustre results for the long weekend were partly due to Covid-19 affected scheduling decisions, with bigger film releases saved for the summer.
The top three films during this year’s holiday were home-grown romantic comedy My Blue Summer, American cartoon The Bad Guys and Japanese cartoon Doraemon: Nobita’s Little Star Wars 2021. However, these have been much less popular than films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – shown during 2017’s holiday – and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – shown in 2018, according to Yu.
Wang Wanlu, a Shanghai-based film enthusiast, said that while cinema attendance quickly returned to normal in the second half of 2020 when Covid-19 calmed down, this year is “more unpredictable”, adding that she has not been to a physical screening of a movie since February.
Cinemas in Shanghai, China’s commercial hub, are categorised as ‘crowded places’ under Covid-19 rules and have not been allowed to reopen despite the city’s plan to gradually lift restrictions for the city’s 25 million residents from June 1. The committee of the Shanghai International Film Festival said on Monday it was postponing its annual event’s 25th edition to next year.
Half of China’s public film and TV companies, including Huayi Brothers Media Corp and Beijing Enlight Media Co, had a combined loss of 1.3 billion yuan last year, according to domestic consulting firm SWS Research. Huayi, which has invested in high-grossing films such as comedy Hi, Mom and war film The Eight Hundred, reported a 6.73 per cent decrease in revenue in 2021 compared to a year ago.
Covid cases shut down Chinese city as Beijing, Shanghai return to new normal
China beat North America for the second time in a row in 2021 as the world’s largest theatrical film market with 47.3 billion yuan in sales. It also has the world’s most movie screens, reaching 82,248 last year.
However, even before the onset of Covid-19, the film industry was facing a challenge as competition intensified from internet companies such as Alibaba Pictures and Tencent Pictures. The latter companies produce films and charge traditional film publishers commission when selling tickets through online platforms such as Alibaba’s Taopiaopiao, Meituan and Tencent Holdings-backed Maoyan.
Purchasing movie tickets online has become prevalent for Chinese internet users. According to a March survey by market research firm iiMedia, Taopiaopiao and Maoyan were used by 65.5 per cent and 60.8 per cent of survey participants respectively, with only one third of them using the online services of cinemas.
Yu Dong, founder, chairman and chief executive of traditional film production company and distributor Polybona Films, hit out at the likes of Taopiaopiao and Maoyan for their high commission fees last June. “The companies are charging more service fees than China’s specialised film fund,” he was reported to have said during an industry event.
China takes a 5 per cent cut from every movie’s box office sales, which goes towards the fund, whereas online ticketing platforms charge around 10 per cent on each ticket sold.
Tencent’s short video weapon: pop stars and millennial nostalgia
LeadLeo’s Yu said China’s cinemas are adapting in an attempt to counter the effects of Covid-19. “They are doing [more] presales [activities] to recoup funds and save on labour cost, they are also extending screening times adding more slots for viewers,” he said.
Wang, who shifted to watching films online during the Covid-19 lockdown, is waiting for the time when she can go back to the cinema.
“The experience at home hasn’t been as satisfying,” she said. “When Covid-19 is gone, I want to go to the cinema once a month.”


China’s box office receipts hit 10-year low as ongoing Covid-19 restrictions produce a sad storyline for country’s cinemas

Cinema box office receipts hit 10-year low in China. Photo: SCMP/K. Y. Cheng

Cinema box office receipts hit 10-year low in China. Photo: AFP 

Tech

Business

China Business

Analysts attributed the decline to Covid-19, which has affected cinema opening times and the scheduling of new films
The traditional film industry is also facing a growing challenge from internet companies such as Alibaba Pictures and Tencent Pictures


Analysts attributed the decline in takings to Covid-19, which has affected cinema opening times and the scheduling of new films.


China’s box office receipts hit 10-year low as ongoing Covid-19 restrictions produce a sad storyline for country’s cinemas

Analysts attributed the decline to Covid-19, which has affected cinema opening times and the scheduling of new films The traditional film industry is also facing a growing challenge from internet companies such as Alibaba Pictures and Tencent Pictures

Analysts attributed the decline to Covid-19, which has affected cinema opening times and the scheduling of new films

The traditional film industry is also facing a growing challenge from internet companies such as Alibaba Pictures and Tencent Pictures