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BEIJING - Yan Zhuodong walked into a cinema with several friends after a dinner on a Saturday evening in Beijing.
"We haven't decided what to watch yet. Let's go in and check what's on today," said the 29-year-old accountant. "Afterwards we plan to go to a KTV (Karaoke bar) and sing for the entire night."
This is a typical weekend for many young professionals living in Beijing.
Watching movies in cinemas has become a lifestyle, especially among the younger generations. About 90 percent of Beijingers who go to cinemas are between the ages of 18 and 35, a 2009 survey by Beijing's Tsinghua University said.
In China, the number of film tickets sold almost tripled from about 72.5 million in 2006 to more than 210 million in 2009, making China the world's second-largest film market. According to statistics released by the Motion Picture Association of America, the annual number of film tickets sold in the United States is around 1.4 billion. Although there's still a big gap between the two, China is catching up at an impressive speed.
Cinemas used to be popular during the 1980s in China, but when televisions and the Internet took over, attention moved from the big screen to the small screen. The majority of State-owned cinemas went bankrupt.
But after over 10 years of poor attendance and revenue figures, the silver screen is making a big comeback that's been coupled with the surge in the screening technology and the change in people's lifestyles.
China's box office revenue has been growing at an annual rate of 30 percent since 2002, according to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. Han Sanping, chairman of the State-owned China Film Group, said earlier this year, that revenue could top 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) in 2010.
"In 10 years time, China's box office revenue will reach 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) and the gross revenue of movie related industry will surpass 100 billion yuan ($15 billion)," said Han at the Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
One of the most major factors in the cinema surge is that cinemas are becoming increasingly accessible in China.
Between 2002 and 2009, 812 new cinemas were constructed and 3,142 screens were installed around the country, according to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. Another 1,000 screens will be installed in 2010.
With the emergence of 3D and IMAX technologies, more people have renewed their interest in cinemas.
"I'm here just to watch the IMAX effect," said Liu Dongming, a 26-year-old IT worker, waiting to buy a ticket at Beijing Wanda Cinema. "I heard that the seven-minute recreation of the earthquake in the IMAX version of Aftershock is extremely real."
Aftershock, a Chinese-made film about China's most destructive earthquake in Tangshan of northern China in 1976, is this summer's blockbuster. Its first-day box office revenue surpassed Avatar in January, said Yang Min, who is in charge of domestic film releases at Huayi Bros Media Group, the production company in charge of Aftershock.
"Modern screening equipment can provide the audience with an extraordinary audio and visual experience," said Jin Bo, general manager of Beijing Bona International Cineplex Investment and Management. "It's something they can never get from tiny computer screens or pirated DVDs."
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"I love to bring my girlfriend to cinemas on a date," said Zhang Bin, a 20-year-old university student. He said going to the movies is a good strategy to "enhance a relationship".
"She wants me to hold her hand all the time, especially when we watch horror movies," said a grinning Zhang.
Cinemas have been racking their brains to tailor their venues for younger customers, with special viewing rooms like the "Lovers Cinema", fancy decorations like neon glass walls, and interactive activities like celebrities meetings during screenings and electronic games in waiting areas. Traditional cinemas have transformed into something like theme parks.
Meanwhile, the film culture has been profound. Many cinemas also exhibit replica items from the current movies in their lobbies, adding a bit of museum flavor to the commercial environment.
"For many young people, it shows good taste to go to cinemas, like drinking coffee," said Sun Dan, a researcher at the Institute of Contemporary China Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Sun said the achievement of China's movie industry is inseparable with the increase in people's buying power.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the disposable income of the Chinese urban population has trebled from 1998 to 2008.
"More and more Chinese people are willing to pay for cultural activities," said Sun. "The change of consuming habit is an evidence of civilization advancement."
For China Daily
