https://www.scmp.com/rss/329690/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jane Cai Jane Cai At the December premiere of the Chinese-dubbed 1957 Billy Wilder classic Witness for the Prosecution in a Shanghai cinema, dubbing artist Qiao Zhen voiced a more immediate mystery: “Do you still enjoy Chinese-dubbed films?” When audience members, mainly nostalgia-seeking fans, responded with applause and shouts of “Yes!”, the 83-year-old veteran became emotional, offering a moving defence of his art form. “Several years ago we felt this profession had fallen into a low point,” he told the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3352213/why-are-modern-chinese-film-audiences-shying-away-dubbed-films?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 08:37:09 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China is seeing surging public interest in science fiction amid its push for technological development, with revenues reaching a record high and online search traffic more than tripling last year, according to a new report. China’s sci-fi industry saw its gross revenues reach 126.1 billion yuan (US$18.2 billion) in 2025, up 15.7 per cent year on year, according to an annual report released at the China Science Fiction Convention on Friday, as reported by Xinhua. The report also highlighted a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348421/chinas-sci-fi-industry-rides-tech-wave-revenues-hit-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348421/chinas-sci-fi-industry-rides-tech-wave-revenues-hit-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:02:19 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s Lunar New Year box office slid to its weakest level since 2020, weighed down by the absence of major breakout films, despite the country leading global single-market takings so far this year. Cinemas generated 5.75 billion yuan (US$831 million) over the nine-day holiday that ended on Monday, according to box-office tracker Dengta Data – a drop of nearly 40 per cent from last year’s record 9.51 billion yuan haul. The result marked the lowest Lunar New Year takings since 2020, when... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344458/chinas-lunar-new-year-box-office-hits-6-year-low-releases-fall-flat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344458/chinas-lunar-new-year-box-office-hits-6-year-low-releases-fall-flat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:30:50 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Over 10 million students graduate from Chinese universities every year, straining an already crowded labour market. Yet the “micro drama” industry is emerging as a crucial lifeline for hundreds of thousands of young jobseekers: offering the chance to turn creativity into a stable pay cheque. The sector was estimated to directly generate about 690,000 jobs in 2025 – mostly for young people – and over 2 million positions when counting upstream and downstream roles, according to a recent report by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342809/chinas-micro-drama-industry-emerges-jobs-lifeline-tough-graduate-labour-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342809/chinas-micro-drama-industry-emerges-jobs-lifeline-tough-graduate-labour-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s box office revenue jumped nearly 22 per cent in 2025, driven by a record-breaking domestic animated hit that helped the market rebound from a soft patch. Total ticket sales reached 51.8 billion yuan (US$7.4 billion), the second-highest level in five years, according to data released by the China Film Administration on Thursday. While surpassing 2024’s haul, last year’s total trailed the 54.92 billion yuan recorded in 2023. Local films continued to dominate the world’s second-largest... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338521/chinas-box-office-22-2025-us74-billion-led-record-breaking-ne-zha-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338521/chinas-box-office-22-2025-us74-billion-led-record-breaking-ne-zha-2?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 09:30:12 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest stories about China’s soft power this year. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Labubu, soft power of a stealthy ‘ugly-cute’ sort, takes on America The Chinese-made dolls, a playful global megahit, give Beijing an opportunity to make inroads into deep US distrust. 2. ‘Huge shift’: why learning Mandarin is losing its appeal in the West Available figures suggest enthusiasm for learning Mandarin abroad is waning after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335844/labubu-blockbuster-films-was-2025-year-chinas-soft-power-went-mainstream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335844/labubu-blockbuster-films-was-2025-year-chinas-soft-power-went-mainstream?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 03:00:11 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China’s film market urgently needs a hit to draw audiences back to cinemas after a lacklustre few months. And an unexpected candidate looks set to fill that role: the Disney animated comedy Zootopia 2. Hollywood movies have underperformed in China over the past few years, but Zootopia 2 appears on track to break the curse. Its advance ticket sales have already surpassed 249 million yuan (US$35 million) – a record for a foreign animated film in China, according to box office tracker Dengta... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334090/why-chinas-film-industry-banking-zootopia-2-being-smash-hit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334090/why-chinas-film-industry-banking-zootopia-2-being-smash-hit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A highly anticipated animated crossover between a Chinese mythological hero and American pop culture icons will debut early next month, marking a significant collaborative release as bilateral tensions continue to ease. Many see My Ne Zha and Transformers – a 52-episode co-production between China’s CCTV Animation and US toy giant Hasbro – as the latest sign of stabilising relations amid soft-power diplomacy. The series features the popular boy deity joining forces with the Autobots in a rare... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333944/ne-zha-meets-autobots-us-china-animation-set-debut-diplomatic-frictions-ease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333944/ne-zha-meets-autobots-us-china-animation-set-debut-diplomatic-frictions-ease?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:15:14 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words When Jackson Yee claimed the Best Actor award at the 2025 Golden Rooster Awards for his role as Liu Chunhe, a teenager with cerebral palsy in Big World, he didn’t just make history as the prize’s youngest winner. He also marked a quiet revolution in how Chinese audiences see... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3333492/jackson-yee-sets-benchmark-young-actors-best-actor-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3333492/jackson-yee-sets-benchmark-young-actors-best-actor-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang A new Chinese documentary is giving the public an ultra high definition look at life in space – and capturing the imagination of fans, including award-winning science fiction writer Liu Cixin. Shenzhou 13 is the first production to be shot in space on a format known as 8K and was filmed by the crew on China’s space station. It was released nationwide on September 5, with Liu, the Hugo Award-winning author of the science fiction trilogy The Three-body Problem, among those at the premiere. “What... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325386/3-body-stardom-how-chinas-space-station-became-film-set-and-inspired-author-liu-cixin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325386/3-body-stardom-how-chinas-space-station-became-film-set-and-inspired-author-liu-cixin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin The coming National Day fireworks in Hong Kong will feature themes inspired by Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha and the National Games, but a drone show expected to precede the display will be excluded after last year’s performance cancellation due to meteorological factors, the organiser has said. The HK$18 million (US$2.3 million) display, set on October 1 to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, will last 23 minutes and portray eight scenes, said... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324943/hong-kongs-national-day-fireworks-feature-ne-zha-national-games-themes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324943/hong-kongs-national-day-fireworks-feature-ne-zha-national-games-themes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:42:27 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China’s film market showed signs of recovery this summer, but industry insiders said it was still grappling with challenges. By the end of last month, this year’s domestic box office totalled 39.23 billion yuan (US$5.5 billion), according to the China Film Administration, with over 900 million film-goers. The summer season generated 11.96 billion yuan in box office revenue, up 2.76 per cent year on year but well down on the 20.62 billion yuan record set in 2023 and the pre-pandemic levels of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324189/more-chinese-went-cinemas-summer-film-industry-still-facing-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324189/more-chinese-went-cinemas-summer-film-industry-still-facing-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 10:00:16 +0000 June Xia June Xia There’s a new king atop China’s 2D animated box office, and it’s Nobody. Shanghai Animation Film Studio’s movie has overtaken Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume as the highest-grossing 2D animated film in Chinese box office history while becoming a dark horse in the nation’s summer movie season. With its success, Nobody has dethroned the dominance of Japanese animated films in China. Before Nobody’s debut on August 2, the all-time top three such movies at the Chinese box office were Suzume, having... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322376/surprising-many-nobody-becomes-chinas-top-2d-animated-film-box-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322376/surprising-many-nobody-becomes-chinas-top-2d-animated-film-box-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:30:07 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China has called for more mini-dramas, documentaries, animations and foreign programmes to air on television to improve the quality of content. The National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) has released a set of measures, made public on Monday, launching a “content renewal plan” to improve innovation, the management of television series, content censorship and the promotion of programmes. The document stressed that more support would be given to producing quality documentaries and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322368/china-launches-plan-improve-tv-and-mini-dramas-amid-soft-power-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3322368/china-launches-plan-improve-tv-and-mini-dramas-amid-soft-power-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:00:26 +0000 June Xia June Xia In a leafy Los Angeles garden, a mafia boss dressed in a flamboyant white suit stands at an altar, shooting wildly into the rows of seats in front of him as his guests dive for cover. The wedding has been infiltrated by a team of assassins, but the young don is not going down without a fight. He continues to fire at his enemies, using his body to shield his petite bride from the flying bullets. “Cut!” director Xiang Sining cheerfully shouts from behind the monitor. That’s a wrap for Kidnapped by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3322032/chinese-vertical-dramas-are-booming-america-should-hollywood-be-worried?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3322032/chinese-vertical-dramas-are-booming-america-should-hollywood-be-worried?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:00:25 +0000 Nancy Wang Nancy Wang A highly anticipated Chinese film that over 3 million users have marked as “want to see” on the Chinese ticket-selling platform Maoyan has sparked discussion on Weibo after its release was changed from July 31 to the more ambiguous “2025”. The film, 731, exposes the grievous biological and chemical experiments committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Kwantung Army in Northeast China during the Sino-Japanese war and World War II. Directed by filmmaker Zhao Linshan and starring well-known mainland... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3320268/chinese-netizens-riled-over-delay-731-film-about-horrific-japanese-human-experiments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3320268/chinese-netizens-riled-over-delay-731-film-about-horrific-japanese-human-experiments?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 09:15:08 +0000 David Chao David Chao Who could have predicted the meteoric rise of the Labubu doll, which has gained cult status globally after capturing hearts in China? At a recent Beijing auction, a Labubu figurine sold for over 1 million yuan (US$139,350), cementing its place as a pop culture phenomenon. The global craze may prove fleeting. But the significance of the Labubu phenomenon lies in what it reveals about China’s consumer culture as it evolves to become more expressive, brand-savvy and globally influential. No longer... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316162/global-labubu-craze-reflects-chinas-creative-and-consumption-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3316162/global-labubu-craze-reflects-chinas-creative-and-consumption-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen China’s film distributors have called for diversifying the country’s cinematic offerings with more and better titles from overseas, at a time when domestic productions have seized the lion’s share of the market from their imported competitors. At a work conference held by the state-owned China Film Group Corporation, as well as Huaxia Film Distribution, companies vowed to bring in “good titles from multiple countries” to improve the number, quality and market share of foreign films, state media... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313845/chinas-film-distributors-pledge-more-imports-diversify-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313845/chinas-film-distributors-pledge-more-imports-diversify-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A Hollywood film topped ticket presales for China’s Dragon Boat Festival, but latest data points to a subdued box office for the holiday season as the industry grapples with a string of underwhelming performances. The box office revenue for Saturday, the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, was estimated at 122 million yuan ($16.9 million), according to Maoyan, a Chinese film industry data platform. The figure was lower than the 177 million yuan for May 1, the first day of mainland... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3312471/mission-impossible-china-faces-box-office-blues-during-dragon-boat-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3312471/mission-impossible-china-faces-box-office-blues-during-dragon-boat-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 03:00:16 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Reports of Hollywood’s demise in China have been greatly exaggerated. Two weeks after Beijing announced plans to reduce imports of US films amid the trade war, a string of major American productions are set for nationwide releases. Marvel’s Thunderbolts* is expected to hit Chinese cinemas in time for next week’s Labour Day holiday, with Disney’s highly anticipated live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch slated to premiere in the country soon after, on May 23. The releases suggest that China is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3308362/hollywood-faces-defining-moment-china-disney-prepares-new-releases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3308362/hollywood-faces-defining-moment-china-disney-prepares-new-releases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:30:13 +0000 When Alida Guo first discovered Liu Cixin’s groundbreaking sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem in high school, she was captivated. The plot proved so irresistible that she hid a copy behind her history textbooks, turning classes into covert missions to decode the “Trisolaran crisis” – named after the fictional alien civilisation that threatens Earth. “The physics element went over my head, but the story stuck with me – it’s so Chinese that it resonates, yet so visionary that it challenges how we... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3306183/chinas-sci-fi-industry-shoots-stars-beijing-pushes-quality-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3306183/chinas-sci-fi-industry-shoots-stars-beijing-pushes-quality-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Apr 2025 09:00:08 +0000 The 1980s and 90s were the heyday for Hong Kong action movies, and I was exposed to a lot of that on television as a kid. My parents are from Hong Kong and I was born in 1990 in Texas, in the United States, where most of my mum’s family live. My dad was a civil engineer and we moved to Hong Kong when I was three. I was a big fan of Power Rangers, a TV show that started off in Japan, about a bunch of people who have the ability to transform and enhance their powers to defend the Earth. My younger... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3304270/jason-li-martial-arts-hollywood-stunt-double-and-daredevil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3304270/jason-li-martial-arts-hollywood-stunt-double-and-daredevil?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Apr 2025 23:00:09 +0000 The low-budget, Sichuan-dialect micro drama My Sweet Home has become an unlikely smash hit in China, racking up over 1 billion views within just three days of its release last week. The free-to-air series – which runs over 79 episodes each lasting around just two minutes – has captivated viewers with its tale of two young single parents in 1980s China who defy social conventions to create a blended family. It is the latest success story for China’s booming micro drama industry, which has... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3303344/chinas-hottest-new-show-sichuan-dialect-micro-drama-set-1980s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3303344/chinas-hottest-new-show-sichuan-dialect-micro-drama-set-1980s?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Mar 2025 08:30:14 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong should look to mainland Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 for inspiration to overcome obstacles and forge its own path, the city’s leader said on Sunday, revealing that he had watched the film with his wife. Ne Zha 2 has smashed records since its mainland release in January, grossing more than 15 billion yuan (US$2.1 billion) worldwide as of Saturday, according to Xinhua, which cited Chinese box office tracker Maoyan. The film, adapted from Chinese mythology, is the highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3302568/ne-zha-2-inspires-john-lee-overcome-obstacles-forge-path-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3302568/ne-zha-2-inspires-john-lee-overcome-obstacles-forge-path-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Mar 2025 07:36:23 +0000 When Kung Fu Panda clawed its way to box office glory in 2008, it sent shock waves through China. Nationalists were bitter that a smash hit banking on Chinese culture was made by Americans, and calls for a government ban ensued. However, the success of DreamWorks’ film in China also lit a fire under China’s film industry. Sure, there were missteps, including a 2011 knock-off film called Legend that failed to win over audiences like the rotund and punchy panda named Po. But the years of intense... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301513/chinas-ne-zha-2-still-flying-high-highest-grossing-animated-movie-all-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301513/chinas-ne-zha-2-still-flying-high-highest-grossing-animated-movie-all-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 13:00:08 +0000 As the animated Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 gains widespread attention domestically and internationally, hopes are high that it will be a prime example of a Chinese cultural export. This showcase of Eastern aesthetics embodies the maturity of China’s cultural industry and against this backdrop, Hong Kong, once known as the Eastern Hollywood, has a historic opportunity to redefine its cultural soft power. Hong Kong cinema has made progress in visual effects, with films like Warriors of Future... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3300003/what-hong-kong-can-take-away-ne-zha-2s-creative-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3300003/what-hong-kong-can-take-away-ne-zha-2s-creative-success?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Mainland Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 raked in about HK$5.6 million (US$720,620) upon its debut in Hong Kong on Saturday, with some screenings for the following day already sold out. Children with parents in tow joined other residents in lines outside cinemas across the city, while several patriotic groups organised private screenings to support what has become the highest-grossing film to emerge from China, surpassing US$1.8 billion in ticket sales worldwide since its release last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3299763/mainland-chinas-ne-zha-2-earns-hk55-million-first-day-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3299763/mainland-chinas-ne-zha-2-earns-hk55-million-first-day-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:44:14 +0000 As Chinese mythology explodes on the world stage, it is poised to redefine the global entertainment market. From this year’s animated film Nezha 2 becoming the first non-Hollywood production to rake in US$1 billion at the box office, to Black Myth: Wukong’s cross-cultural appeal in the gaming world, centuries-old stories are captivating audiences like never before. This surge in popularity reflects both a growing hunger for diverse narratives and a fascination with cultures beyond the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3298378/how-chinese-mythology-and-folklore-are-captivating-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3298378/how-chinese-mythology-and-folklore-are-captivating-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Blockbuster mainland Chinese film Ne Zha 2 is set to hit cinema screens in Hong Kong after the animated tale about a youthful dragon-defying deity broke box office records over the Lunar New Year holiday. The film, adapted from Chinese mythology, will be released in theatres under the Cinema City, MCL, Cine-Art House and Emperor Cinemas chains in Hong Kong and Macau, according to Beijing Enlight Media and local firm Mandarin Motion Pictures. The companies said on Thursday that the release date... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3298578/mainland-chinas-record-breaking-ne-zha-2-hit-cinemas-hong-kong-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3298578/mainland-chinas-record-breaking-ne-zha-2-hit-cinemas-hong-kong-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:44:35 +0000 Cecilia Hu, a 25-year-old marketing professional based in Wuhan, used to be an avid movie-goer, visiting the cinema at least once a month. However, last year she only went once – to see Big World, a new release starring her idol, pop star Jackson Yee. Despite her initial enthusiasm, Hu left the theatre disappointed. Yee performed well, she said, but the film otherwise lacked appeal, with a romantic storyline feeling particularly out of place. Now, instead of going to the cinema to serve as a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3293329/quiet-set-chinas-film-industry-fights-relevance-changing-media-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3293329/quiet-set-chinas-film-industry-fights-relevance-changing-media-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jan 2025 04:00:24 +0000 China’s box office bookings for the ongoing National Day holiday period had surpassed 1 billion yuan (US$142 million) as of Thursday morning, according to box office tracker Dengta Data, but the industry remains under pressure compared with years past. This year’s bookings crossed the 1 billion yuan mark on the third day of the seven-day “golden week” holiday, which started on Tuesday, compared with last year, when the milestone figure was reached on the second night. While the box office saw a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3280971/chinas-national-day-box-office-breaches-billion-yuan-day-3-holiday-haul-lags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3280971/chinas-national-day-box-office-breaches-billion-yuan-day-3-holiday-haul-lags?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:00:34 +0000 On a film set that resembles the medieval castle of a Chinese lord, Zhu Jian is busy disrupting the world’s second-largest movie industry. The 69-year-old actor is playing the patriarch of a wealthy family celebrating his birthday with a lavish banquet. But unbeknown to either of them, the servant in the scene is his biological granddaughter. A second twist: Zhu is not filming for cinema screens. Grandma’s Moon is a micro drama, composed of vertically shot, minute-long episodes featuring... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3279714/inside-chinas-us5-billion-micro-drama-industry-which-has-us-its-sights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3279714/inside-chinas-us5-billion-micro-drama-industry-which-has-us-its-sights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Sep 2024 09:15:08 +0000 China’s top film regulator has ordered that all Chinese movies strictly follow rules on approvals before being screened in overseas film festivals, months after a Chinese movie about Covid lockdowns triggered heated discussion at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. In a notice issued on Thursday, the China Film Administration said all domestically produced short films could only appear at foreign film festivals or exhibitions if they obtained permits for public screenings. The film producers must... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3269352/china-regulator-says-short-films-must-now-follow-script-overseas-screenings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3269352/china-regulator-says-short-films-must-now-follow-script-overseas-screenings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 10:24:49 +0000 China’s state media published a blistering critique of the Netflix series 3 Body Problem on Saturday, saying the adaptation of an award-winning Chinese sci-fi trilogy promotes “American cultural hegemony” under the guise of diversity. The commentary by China Military Online, owned by the People’s Liberation Army, is the one of the first from state-affiliated media after more than a week of polarised discussion on Chinese social media about the series from showrunners David Benioff and D.B.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3257378/chinese-state-media-accuse-netflix-series-3-body-problem-pushing-american-cultural-hegemony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3257378/chinese-state-media-accuse-netflix-series-3-body-problem-pushing-american-cultural-hegemony?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Mar 2024 13:00:13 +0000 A new Chinese film by multi-award winning director Zhang Yimou swept the Chinese box office over the Lunar New Year, earning 1.34 billion yuan (US$186 million) over eight days, according to the China Film Administration. But unlike the comedy or romance films that usually dominate the holiday period, the legal drama Article 20 (Di Er Shi Tiao) explores a controversial issue – the right to self-defence. The film, co-produced by China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), follows two prosecutors... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3253010/chinese-hit-film-article-20-fairy-tale-about-right-self-defence-legal-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3253010/chinese-hit-film-article-20-fairy-tale-about-right-self-defence-legal-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Feb 2024 02:00:23 +0000 Two Chinese films released over the Lunar New Year holiday have set off a social media buzz, with state agencies even joining the discussion which addresses topics such as weight loss, self-love and legal justice. Directed, written and starring Jia Ling, a representative of the new generation of female Chinese directors, YOLO (“you only live once” or Re La Gun Tang in Chinese) is about an overweight woman, Leying, who loses weight through boxing training while finding herself and learning to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3251940/chinas-big-lunar-new-year-films-spark-social-media-debate-about-body-issues-self-esteem-and-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3251940/chinas-big-lunar-new-year-films-spark-social-media-debate-about-body-issues-self-esteem-and-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:01:10 +0000 Businesses in China are making a killing by replicating, in a variety of sellable forms, the lifestyle depicted in the hugely popular new TV series Blossoms Shanghai. Produced by Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai, the series is based on the award-winning novel of the same title written by Jin Yucheng and stars top mainland star Hu Ge. It tells the story of a self-made millionaire in 1990s Shanghai as China’s economy went into overdrive. Such has been its nationwide popularity, particularly in... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3247395/china-fans-wong-kar-wais-blossoms-shanghai-tv-series-spark-demand-bespoke-suits-food-dishes-appear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3247395/china-fans-wong-kar-wais-blossoms-shanghai-tv-series-spark-demand-bespoke-suits-food-dishes-appear?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jan 2024 01:00:24 +0000 The Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden, who saw it as his mission to tell people’s stories in their own voices, died last Monday at the age of 53. The China Academy of Art, where he was a professor, said in a statement that he died due to a sudden illness. The director, widely regarded as the pioneer of the Tibetan New Wave, is remembered by many for having achieved the impossible in telling Tibetan stories that were well-received by audiences inside and outside China. His award-winning feature films... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3220454/tibetan-cinema-world-mourns-loss-ground-breaking-filmmaker-pema-tseden?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3220454/tibetan-cinema-world-mourns-loss-ground-breaking-filmmaker-pema-tseden?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 May 2023 04:00:14 +0000 After stringent coronavirus curbs were dropped late last year, cinemas across China are once again full as people try to regain a sense of normality after three years of pandemic disruptions. Cinema-goers are showing heightened enthusiasm for Chinese films in particular, with people reporting hot demand for tickets to sci-fi blockbuster The Wandering Earth 2 and a crowdfunding drive for the film’s merchandise surpassing an early 100,000 yuan target to reach more than 100 million yuan (US$14.8... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3209006/chinas-film-industry-shows-signs-recovery-excessive-optimism-unrealistic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3209006/chinas-film-industry-shows-signs-recovery-excessive-optimism-unrealistic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Feb 2023 12:00:10 +0000 Chinese stock brokerages are turning more bullish on the recovery outlook for the mainland movie industry, after the latest Hollywood blockbuster Avatar 2 helped boost box-office takings and end years of pandemic shutdown. Analysts at Guosen Securities and Caitong Securities said they expect cinema operators to outperform the broader market next year, aided by signs of Beijing’s zero-Covid pivot since November. Avatar: The Way of Water, released last Friday, is a springboard to recovery, they... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3204245/avatar-2-zero-covid-pivot-fuel-china-box-office-stock-brokerages-predict-industry-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3204245/avatar-2-zero-covid-pivot-fuel-china-box-office-stock-brokerages-predict-industry-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Dec 2022 08:01:43 +0000 Veteran Hong Kong actor Anthony Wong took top honours at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards Saturday while a Chinese short film won for the first time since Beijing shunned the event because of political tensions. Dubbed the Chinese-language Oscars, the Golden Horse awards took place for the fourth straight year without most of the Chinese and Hong Kong A-listers who used to walk the red carpet in Taipei. Beijing officially boycotted the event in 2019 after a Taiwanese director advocated for the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3200274/hong-kong-actor-anthony-wong-wins-top-prize-taiwans-golden-horse-film-awards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3200274/hong-kong-actor-anthony-wong-wins-top-prize-taiwans-golden-horse-film-awards?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Nov 2022 21:58:05 +0000 Leona Liu Ying Leona Liu Ying China’s oversight body for its film industry is issuing discounts on tickets to help bring theatregoers back to the cinema, in the latest move by authorities to boost consumption as the economy still faces sluggish growth prospects. The China Film Administration (CFA) has joined forces with several movie-ticketing platforms to issue 100 million yuan (US$14.8 million) worth of discount vouchers in an attempt to subsidise ticketing costs and bolster spending from now through October. With people... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3188958/chinas-film-authority-entices-moviegoers-discount-vouchers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3188958/chinas-film-authority-entices-moviegoers-discount-vouchers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Aug 2022 03:00:42 +0000 Bona Film Group, China’s top-grossing movie producer and distributor, is about to list its yuan-denominated shares after a five-year wait, following a nod for its initial public offering (IPO) from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The Beijing-based group, which counts Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings among its investors, will start taking orders from investors for about 275 million new shares on August 9, according to its prospectus released on Monday. The IPO price will be decided on... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3187286/chinese-studio-bona-film-maker-battle-lake-changjin-set-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3187286/chinese-studio-bona-film-maker-battle-lake-changjin-set-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Aug 2022 07:03:55 +0000 China intends on supercharging its soft power to an “unprecedented” level with a detailed plan that aims to transform the nation into a cultural export powerhouse over the next three years. By utilising a newly unveiled 28-point road map, Beijing will flex its soft power abroad by taking advantage of digital cultural platforms and cultural industry leaders with international influence, according to the guidelines that were jointly issued by 27 government bodies. Authorities also pledged to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3186654/china-may-increase-cultural-imports-part-28-point-plan-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3186654/china-may-increase-cultural-imports-part-28-point-plan-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jul 2022 11:27:01 +0000 Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings will reorganise its in-house film production unit to focus on “shouldering social responsibility” instead of making money, Chinese media outlet Jiemian reported. Tencent Pictures, the film unit of China’s video gaming and social media giant, will be moved to the company’s Corporate Development Group from the Platform and Content Group as part of a reshuffle, according to the report. The change means Tencent Pictures will shift away from investing in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3166718/tencents-film-unit-heeds-beijings-call-social-responsibility-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3166718/tencents-film-unit-heeds-beijings-call-social-responsibility-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Feb 2022 13:00:28 +0000 When the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Games ends on Friday night, acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be the first person to have overseen the event for two Olympics. His opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games is ranked among the top Olympic ceremonies in recent history, owing to its magnitude, with 15,000 performers, and the breadth of Chinese history packed into the four-hour show. Zhang also led the closing ceremony in 2008 and will again do so at the Winter... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3165739/heavy-burden-zhang-yimous-second-olympics-opening-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3165739/heavy-burden-zhang-yimous-second-olympics-opening-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:01:27 +0000 Jonathan Kos-Read has built a successful life by making seemingly unpredictable decisions. In 1997, he swapped New York for Beijing, despite knowing hardly any Mandarin, even fewer people and with little in the way of a plan. He auditioned for a low-budget movie, Mei Shi Zhao Shi (Looking for Trouble), on the strength of an advertisement in an English-language newspaper and a teenage love of acting. From such random choices has grown fame. Known across mainland China as Cao Cao, Kos-Read is “by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/3135869/chinas-leading-foreign-actor-his-first-book-eunuch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/3135869/chinas-leading-foreign-actor-his-first-book-eunuch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jun 2021 21:15:08 +0000 The Covid-19 pandemic brought a halt to much of the film industry, but it also led to a notable creative breakthrough: virtual production sets.  With travel restrictions in full force globally, production teams have developed new ways to produce stunning visual effects virtually, meaning there is no need for on-location filming.  “LED-based virtual production is definitely the future [of filmmaking],” said Guo Fu, co-founder of Beijing-based visual effects company Revo Times, which produced... https://www.scmp.com/tech/mandalorian-inspiring-china-use-more-virtual-production-sets/article/3122008?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/mandalorian-inspiring-china-use-more-virtual-production-sets/article/3122008?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Feb 2021 09:35:20 +0000 Every Tuesday and Thursday, Inkstone Index features one important number about China to give you insight into the rising power. $28.6 billion: The combined worth of the 10 largest film companies in China.   Chinese film enterprises are minnows compared to their global competitors, despite enjoying the second-largest film market in the world. China’s top 10 most valuable film companies have market value a total of $28.6 billion, according to the Hurun Report. Yet that number is only a fraction of... https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-index-chinas-top-players-film-industry/article/3102621?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/inkstone-index-chinas-top-players-film-industry/article/3102621?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2020 03:43:48 +0000 Hit with bad reviews and accusations of complicity in China’s mistreatment of ethnic minorities, Mulan is getting no respite ahead of its opening in Chinese theaters. Disney’s live-action remake has racked up dismal advance ticket sales for its opening day in China on Friday, according to China’s largest film ticketing app Maoyan. As of Wednesday morning, the sales amounted to $307,000 after three days’ presale, a fraction of those of recent hit movies in the country. Love You Forever, a... https://www.scmp.com/arts/dismal-china-sales-portend-disaster-mulan-amid-criticism-over-xinjiang/article/3100834?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/dismal-china-sales-portend-disaster-mulan-amid-criticism-over-xinjiang/article/3100834?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2020 10:09:54 +0000