China Changchun Film Festival Contributes to Market Prosperity

Wang Junkai, the lead singer of the hugely popular Chinese music band TFBOYS, was appointed as the image ambassador of the 19th China Changchun Film Festival on Monday. The topic quickly gained traction on Weibo, China’s most important social media platform, garnering significant attention.

A leading Chinese film festival kicked off on Wednesday night in Changchun, the capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province and a cradle of the country’s film industry, aiming to contribute to the prosperity of the Chinese film market.

Under the theme “New Era, New Cradle, and New Power” and with the goal of “Meeting in the City of Films to Discuss the Future of Cinema,” the festival consists of six main sections, including opening and closing ceremonies, a film award ceremony, and more.

The China Changchun Film Festival has been held every two years since its inception in 1992 but was adjusted to an annual schedule starting in 2021.

Summer is one of the most lucrative box office seasons in China. As of Sunday, China’s 2024 summer box office revenue reached 11.1 billion yuan (about 1.56 billion U.S. dollars), with the domestic comedy “Successor” topping the revenue chart.

The blockbuster “Successor” has grossed around 3.2 billion yuan in box office revenue since its release on July 16, accounting for nearly 29 percent of the total summer box office revenue. “Successor” has also been shortlisted for the prestigious “Golden Deer Award.”

This film was co-produced by Changchun Film Studio, one of China’s most renowned film companies. Changchun elements, such as the iconic Hongqi limousines, were featured in the film, leaving a strong impression on many viewers in China.

In recent years, Changchun has been vigorously promoting the high-quality development of its film industry to support the creation of films like “Successor.” The Golden Hall of Changchun International Film Metropolis is a specially designed venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of this year’s festival.

During the 18th China Changchun Film Festival held last year, the Changchun municipal government introduced several measures to promote the high-quality development of the film and television industry, offering financial support of up to 35 million yuan for a single film.

In addition to being known as the “City of Movies” and hosting the ongoing film festival, Changchun has earned other notable titles, such as the “City of Automobiles.” The city is vigorously restructuring its industries by leveraging its strengths and addressing its weaknesses to provide strong support for the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China, aiming to achieve new breakthroughs.