Comedy films dominate as China's Spring Festival box office hits record high

A citizen walks past movie posters at a cinema in Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 16, 2024. [Photo by Long Wei/Xinhua]

by Xinhua writer Zhang Yunlong

BEIJING -- China's box office during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday may have lacked highly industrialized visual effects blockbusters, but the diverse array of quality comedy films has effectively met the viewing demands for family-friendly entertainment during the holiday and driven the box office revenue growth.

This is how Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, summarized the highlights of the country's box office during the eight-day holiday that ended on Saturday.

The holiday box office revenue hit a record high of nearly 8.02 billion yuan (about 1.13 billion U.S. dollars), according to the State Film Administration, with domestic comedy movies accounting for over 97 percent of the total earnings.

Three years after her breakthrough with the self-written, self-directed, and self-starring comedy film "Hi, Mom," comedian Jia Ling returned with another comedy hit, "YOLO," which grossed 2.72 billion yuan, claiming the top spot on the holiday box office chart.

Chen Xuguang, director of Peking University's Institute of Film, Television and Theatre, highlighted the strong connection between the protagonist's uplifting life story in "YOLO" and Jia Ling's own real-life weight loss journey, which create a powerful modern-day allegory.

"The movie serves as an inspiring guide, balancing humor and tears, and has enjoyed both commercial success and critical acclaim, despite some controversies," Chen said.

Zhang Yalan, a preschool teacher in Wuhan, central China, watched "YOLO" with her husband and their middle school daughter.

She described the film as a transformative experience, saying, "If a person truly desires to transcend their self-doubt and experience personal growth, the power lies within themselves. They must have the courage to pursue it!"

"Pegasus 2," the sequel to a 2019 blockbuster racing film by writer-director Han Han, ranked second on the chart with 2.40 billion yuan.

Since the release of its first theatrical film in 2014, the "Boonie Bears" animated film series has consistently released new movies. The latest installment, "Boonie Bears: Time Twist," grossed 1.39 billion yuan, securing the third spot.

Following closely behind is Zhang Yimou's comedy film, "Article 20," with box office earnings of 1.34 billion yuan.

Tackling a hot topic in real life, "Article 20" demonstrates the filmmakers' social responsibility and commitment, while employing the power of movies to advance the progress of law and society, according to Rao.

Industry analysts point out that family-friendly comedies align perfectly with the cultural atmosphere and consumer psychology surrounding the Lunar New Year celebrations, making them an essential choice for moviegoers during the holiday season.

While comedy films performed exceptionally well at the holiday box office, several movies opted to withdraw from the schedule. According to analysts, this highlights the need for filmmakers to enhance their understanding of market dynamics, cultural relevance, and the public's movie-going preferences during the festive period to better cater to the viewers' needs. 

A woman walks past film posters at a cinema in Tancheng County of Linyi City, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 15, 2024. China's box office revenue during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday hit a record high of nearly 8.02 billion yuan (about 1.13 billion U.S. dollars), according to the State Film Administration. [Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua]