Summer cinema attendance increased among Chinese, yet the film industry continues to grapple with obstacles
The Chinese film market has shown signs of recovery this summer, with a total box office revenue of 20.62 billion yuan during the season. This figure, according to the China Film Administration, represents a 2.76% year-on-year increase.
Despite this summer recovery, the Chinese film industry is still facing challenges, notably the struggle for big-budget productions to recoup costs. Independent film producer and commentator Guan Zhi highlights this issue.
As of the end of last month, the total domestic box office for the year stood at 39.23 billion yuan (US$5.5 billion). Over 900 million people went to the cinema in China this year, a testament to the continued popularity of movies among the Chinese audience.
However, the number of films surpassing 100 million yuan and one billion yuan in the first half of 2023 is lower compared to previous years. In fact, only three films have taken in more than one billion yuan in the first half of this year: "The Photostudio of Nanjing" with 2.89 billion yuan, "The Little Monsters from the Wave Mountains" with 1.455 billion yuan, and "Dead To Rights" with 2.47 billion yuan.
The rapid expansion of cinema construction in China has not been matched by an equivalent increase in demand. This discrepancy might be contributing to the industry's struggle to recoup costs for big-budget productions.
The article does not provide specific details about the types of other forms of entertainment that are affecting the Chinese film market. Neither does it compare the box office revenue of the second half of 2023 with pre-pandemic levels.
It is worth noting that the summer season box office revenue in 2023 was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic levels of 2017 and 2018. In 2017, the summer season generated 16.3 billion yuan, while in 2018, it was 17.4 billion yuan.
As the Chinese film industry navigates these challenges, it remains to be seen how it will continue to evolve and adapt in the coming months.
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