On December 25, the 2024 New Year's film release conference was held at the birthplace of Chinese cinema, the Daguanlou Cinema. Several films, including the Beijing-produced movies I Am What Am 2 and Octopus with Broken Arms, were introduced by the main creators to energize the movie market and invite the audience with a "See You in Cinemas in 2025!" call.
In 1905, China's first film Dingjun Mountain was born at Daguanlou Cinema. After 119 years, this venue marks the "New Year" moment as Chinese cinema approaches its 120th birthday. As of December 25, the 2024 Chinese New Year's box office has reached nearly 2.2 billion yuan, with more than 60 films of diverse genres and themes having premiered, offering audiences a grand year-end cinematic feast.
The most popular recent film is Her Story, a female-themed film directed by young director Shao Yihui. At the event, Shao Yihui expressed gratitude to the nationwide audience for their support, saying, "I hope that in life, everyone encounters 'good things,' such as sincere relationships, passionate dreams, and the light and shadow on the screen."
The Beijing-produced film I Am What Am 2 combines an inspiring story for youth with excellent traditional Chinese culture, using impressive audio-visual language to bring Chinese animation to new heights. The film's producer and supervisor, Zhang Miao, shared that the film features lion dance, Li Bai, traditional martial arts, and quirky characters, along with humorous surprises. He acknowledged that trying out different artistic styles is an important expression responsibility for animation films, adding, "We've previously explored ink-wash animation and mythological animation, but this time, we wanted to tell a story realistically. We don't regret this exploration and will continue to listen to the audience's feedback to push forward the innovation in Chinese animation."
As the New Year's film season heats up, the upcoming New Year films are set to enter cinemas. Over the next two weeks, films such as The Prosecutor, Big World, Octopus with Broken Arms, Honey Money Phony, Out of Oder, Paddington in Peru, and Hot Pot Artist will help audiences bid farewell to 2024 and enter 2025 with laughter and emotions.
The film The Prosecutor, starring Donnie Yen, has already generated a lot of attention before its official release, with its preview box office exceeding 150 million yuan. Donnie Yen's star power is undeniable. The film's producer, Huang Baoming, explained that the movie, based on a real drug trafficking miscarriage of justice case from Hong Kong, aims to remind young people not to be led astray by small temptations. Huang also noted that this is his first time exploring a legal drama, combining law and action genres for innovation. He humorously shared that when he first invited Donnie Yen to star, the actor immediately refused. It took two months of persuasion before Donnie was convinced, "I said, 'Because you haven't done it before, the audience will find it fresh,' and that convinced him." During filming, Donnie Yen gave his all, even getting injured and going to the hospital.
Another highly anticipated film, Big World, directed by Lina Yang and starring Jackson Yee, tells the moving story of a cerebral palsy boy breaking through physical and mental constraints to undergo a transformative journey. Lina Yang shared that China has millions of disabled people, and as a filmmaker, she hopes to use the power of film to help more people understand and respect them. Talking about Jackson Yee's breakthrough performance, Lina praised him, saying, "He completely recreated the role with extraordinary professional ability. He has truly achieved a deep connection with the character."
After a three-year hiatus, Octopus with Broken Arms returns, continuing the mystery and exploration of complex human nature that marked the first two installments of the series. Director Gan Jianyu shared that, unlike the previous two films which were adapted from scripts, Octopus with Broken Arms will offer an original story, unraveling a kidnapping case layer by layer with the audience. Actor Xiao Yang, who reprises his role as a deeply loving father for the third time, expressed hopes that the film will raise awareness about child trafficking and safety issues. "The pressure is high as we film the third installment, but we want to keep up with the times. Today, it's not easy to keep an audience's attention without them looking at their phones, and I think Octopus with Broken Arms has that potential."
For audiences looking for lighter fare, comedies like Out of Oder will bring a refreshing new year's treat, featuring Kris Phillips, Song Xiaobao, and Ma Dong-seok in a fun, unexpected comedic lineup, revolving around a disrupted date. Hot Pot Artist blends Northeast Chinese humor with a hotpot theme, while the romantic comedy Honey Money Phony features Jin Chen and Sunny Sun in a "reverse scam couple," setting the stage for laughter and romance. For younger audiences, Paddington in Peru is the perfect film for welcoming the new year. Actor Du Jiang, who voices Paddington Bear for the second time, reflected on the growth of both Paddington and himself over the past seven years, offering a heartwarming tip for parents: "If your child is young and you don't want to be asked too many questions during the movie, make sure to watch the dubbed version."
In 2025, the "24-hour cinema" for audiences nationwide — the Movie Channel — will also undergo a comprehensive upgrade. At the event, the promotional video for the 2025 Movie Channel Renewal Plan was released, featuring five major programs: Classic Night, Cinema Marathon, Action 90 Minutes, Filmmaker 1+1, and Great China, all aiming to share high-quality broadcast content with audiences.
Translator: FENG Haoxuan
Reviewer: BAI Jing
