Driven by the issuance of movie consumption vouchers and a diverse lineup of new releases, China’s box office market has seen a continuous surge in enthusiasm as holiday cultural consumption vitality accelerates during the National Day holiday.
The week-long holiday, which kicked off on Oct. 1, is typically one of China’s busiest moviegoing seasons and one of its most fiercely competitive release windows.
China’s National Day holiday box office crossed the 1-billion-yuan mark (about 149.15 million U.S. dollars) on Tuesday, with domestic crime drama “Traces of Justice” leading the chart among more than 10 new Chinese and foreign releases, according to online ticketing platform data.
In Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province, cinema halls were bustling with crowds during the holiday, with many families and young people booking tickets in advance. This year’s National Day film releases feature a rich variety of genres, including suspense, comedy, and animation, catering to the diverse preferences of audiences of all ages.
Hunan has issued 17 million yuan in movie vouchers this year to lower the threshold for moviegoers and stimulate cultural consumption.
During the holiday, audiences can claim various discount coupons, which have not only boosted box office sales but also spurred surrounding businesses through supporting activities like movie-themed markets and intangible cultural heritage experiences.
Accompanying “movie plus” activities have drawn nearly 900,000 participants to prize draws, generating 246 million yuan in peripheral consumption.
“Our cinema has launched activities like exploring markets after watching movies. The special offers have driven a lot of consumption in our cinema and the surrounding areas,” said Yu Rongbo, a cinema manager in Changsha.
The movie market in Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province, is equally robust. Several comedies and animated films have been widely popular and well received by family audiences.
“My daily work is quite intense and fast-paced. During the National Day holiday, I finally have some free time to come out and watch a movie. It’s a way for me to relax,” said Wang Chao, a moviegoer.
Besides watching movies and buying merchandise, local cinemas have also organized various offline interactive activities, with ring-toss games drawing large crowds. The cinemas also launched events to give away small Chinese national flags to moviegoers, conveying a strong sense of patriotism.
“I didn’t expect that I could play games and win small prizes while watching a movie. It gave me a strong sense of involvement,” said Zuo Xiaoli, another moviegoer.
“To well prepare for the peak moviegoing period during the National Day holiday, our cinema has comprehensively upgraded our services and on-site support. We have strengthened the presence of on-site staff to efficiently divert passenger flow and maintain order, ensuring that every audience member can have a comfortable viewing experience,” said Peng Peng, marketing manager of a cinema in Hefei.
Movie vouchers fuel box office boom during China’s National Day holiday
Movie vouchers fuel box office boom during China’s National Day holiday
Thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets of central Athens on Tuesday night to protest U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit, voicing anger over the U.S. wars in the Middle East and beyond.
Rubio arrived in Athens late Tuesday for a trip intended to deepen bilateral partnership on “key Administration priorities, including defense cooperation and regional and energy security,” according to the U.S. Department of State. His visit drew fierce backlash from Greeks who believe it would bind their country ever closer to wars.
Demonstrators from trade associations and labor unions hoisted banners reading “Close the U.S. military bases,” “No to imperialist wars that breed poverty and refugees” and “Rubio not welcome.” Palestinian and Cuban flags flew above the crowd as protesters chanted anti-war slogans, condemning U.S. wars in the Middle East, its blockade of Cuba and backing of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. They also demanded that Greece close its NATO bases and keep the country out of U.S. and NATO military operations.
“[We came here] to demonstrate against the visit of Marco Rubio, who is coming to Greece to make more difficult the days of the Greek people, because he wants to make conferences with our government, to bound Greece near the war, this active war which is taking place from Ukraine to the Middle East,” one of the protesters told China Central Television.
“All our syndicates are against what is now the United States with Israel, the genocide they make in the Middle East against the Palestinian people day by day. They’re murderers, really murderers. And at the same time, we are against the what the the government of the United States wants to do with the Cuban people. We give our solidarity to the struggle of the Cuban people, to keep their rights for socialism,” she said.
The march, which began from the iconic Syntagma Square in the heart of the Greek capital, was unable to reach its destination at the U.S. Embassy after police blocked the route, triggering a lengthy standoff between demonstrators and officers.
A heavy police presence was deployed at the scene. With the route sealed off, the crowd could not deliver its protest to the gates of the U.S. mission, causing traffic in central Athens to come to a halt.
Thousands of Greek protesters rally against Rubio’s visit amid anti-war outcry
