A new script for Chinese cinema

Wei Ming, cofounder and visual effects director of MORE VFX Wuxi Digital Image Technology Co, agreed that cinema delivers a peerless visual spectacle.

He cites The Wandering Earth, China's highest-grossing sci-fi franchise, as an example. The first film, released in 2019, utilized 5,000 lights to realistically illuminate a massive planetary engine — a fictional structure designed to propel Earth out of its orbit and into a cosmic escape journey. For the 2023 sequel, that number rose to tens of thousands, further amplifying the scale and realism.

From Zhang Yimou's 2002 martial arts epic Hero to this year's phenomenal hit Ne Zha 2, Chinese films have steadily expanded their global reach in the past two decades.

"China's film market is vast, but our generation of filmmakers has a mission — to bring Chinese stories to the world," Shen says. "That means showing the cultural essence and spirit of China, not just stacking Chinese elements."