Challenges in film industry turn positive with funding

Ti Gong

A series of measures have been taken to speed up the recovery of China's film industry, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year.

A recent announcement from China Film Administration reveals that 100 million yuan (US$14.67 million) worth of digital film vouchers will be given to online film ticketing platforms such as Maoyan and Taopiaopiao from August to October. The vouchers can be used online by film buffs to buy tickets at a lower price.

The administration will also explore untapped film consumption potential in China's villages. Tax and rental reduction policies will be implemented to enterprises to tide them over this difficult period.

So far, films screened during the summer slot have earned 8 billion yuan at the box office. This has already surpassed the 7.38 billion yuan from the same period last year.

Sci-fi comedy "Moon Man" has contributed more than one-third of all the revenue, followed by drama film "Lighting up the Stars" and "Jurassic World Dominion."

Industry insiders are optimistic about the industry's future performance as several new releases with a large fan base start to hit cinemas across the country this week.

Li Ying, an official with the Wanda Cinema in Wujiaochang in Yangpu District, said that they can feel enthusiasm for the cinema returning. And in her eyes, the new releases will give a boost to the box office in the following weeks.

Among the new productions, animation comedy film "Minions: the Rise of Gru" will take audience back to the childhood of Gru, when a 12-year-old boy dreams of being the greatest supervillain in the world.

Over the past decade, the five movies of the franchise have grossed about US$ 4.5 billion, and have gained a large number of fans worldwide for the small and yellow creatures Minions.

The Shanghai-produced documentary film "Once Upon A Life" is the film version of the widely acclaimed documentary TV series "Life Matters." Some episodes of the series have been aired on History Channel across Southeast Asia.

Four directors shot the film from diverse and novel perspectives to depict humanity and the power of love. Touching stories about the final days of two cancer patients are told in the film. It will arouse people's reflections on the true meaning of life.

Fan Shiguang, one of the directors, noted that the film will give audience courage to face the challenges and difficulties in lives, and cherish people around them.

In addition to cinematic screenings, online film productions, a rising force of China's film industry, will also receive aids.

The China Film Foundation Film Fund for Online Movies has recently been launched by China Film Foundation and streaming platform iQiyi. Filmmakers can get some financial, technological and marketing support during their process of creation.

"Online movies have been rapidly developing for eight years in China," said Yang Xianghua, an official from iQiyi. "People's demand for high-quality online movies is increasing. We will help filmmakers to create more original and engaging content."