BEIJING, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- As China celebrated its National Day holiday, cinemas across the country saw audiences flock to the big screen, while a new mix of cross-sector activities turned movie theaters into spaces for sports, culture and tourism.
The trend reflects a broader shift in China's film industry, as cinemas look beyond ticket sales and films increasingly serve as gateways to a wider range of cultural and leisure activities.
DIVERSE HOLIDAY LINEUP
At around 9 a.m. on Oct. 1, the first day of the seven-day National Day holiday, the Shanghai Film Art Center was already buzzing with moviegoers. Its special early-morning screenings offered discounted tickets, which were perfect for audiences keen to kick off the holiday bright and early.
A Shanghai resident surnamed Zhang was among them. She had arrived early to watch "Traces of Justice," a crime drama inspired by the life and work of renowned trace-evidence expert Cui Daozhi.
"I'm a big fan of crime and detective stories. I heard the film was based on real cases, so I wanted to see it as soon as possible," she said.
For Zhang, an early-morning movie was a way to start the holiday. For China's cinemas, however, the break offered a much bigger opportunity to draw audiences with a wide range of new releases.
Among the new releases, "Traces of Justice" quickly emerged as an early favorite, grossing 423 million yuan (about 62.8 million U.S. dollars) over the holiday period and topping the daily box-office chart for the first four days.
It was not the only film drawing audiences. Comedy "Mr. & Mrs. Pardon," horror film "Resident Evil," drama "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" and family animation "Peppa Pig: Perfect Holiday" also joined the holiday lineup, offering something for different tastes.
The diverse lineup helped keep audiences coming back to cinemas throughout the break. According to the China Film Administration, the holiday box office reached 1.165 billion yuan, with daily box-office revenue exceeding 100 million yuan for seven consecutive days.
"The detective elements in 'Traces of Justice' and the comedic appeal of 'Mr. & Mrs. Pardon' both have a built-in audience, helping the films deliver relatively steady performances during the holiday," said Lai Li, a market analyst at Maoyan Entertainment.
With audiences showing sustained interest across different genres, Lai expects this year's National Day releases to sustain their box-office momentum even after the holiday comes to an end.
NEW CINEMA EXPERIENCES
For moviegoers, the experience no longer begins and ends with the film itself. As cinema technology advances, formats such as IMAX and CINITY are becoming part of the attraction, drawing audiences who are looking for more immersive viewing.
CINITY, for example, supports films at up to 120 frames per second, capturing more motion detail and producing smoother images that approach the limits of human visual perception. During this year's National Day holiday, several major releases were available in such formats, giving audiences a wide range of choices.
The changes also extend beyond the screen. Across China, cinemas are increasingly blending moviegoing with entertainment, social interaction and other cultural experiences, turning a trip to the movies into a longer outing.
In Hangzhou, WOODY WOOD, the country's first cinema fully equipped with CINITY LED screens, opened on Oct. 1. Designed around the concept of "more than a cinema," the venue features nine themed spaces, including a theater-style performance space and a "film library," extending the cinema experience beyond movie screenings and creating a more diverse cultural space.
In Beijing, a cinema recently hosted an event marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March (1934-1936). Alongside film screenings, visitors could explore an intangible cultural heritage market and take part in a VR experience, allowing them to engage with the history in a more immersive way.
Cinemas are also opening their doors to other events. During the 2026 China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Huaxia Film partnered with more than 100 cinemas to livestream matches on movie screens.
"Bringing top-level tennis into cinemas can make use of otherwise idle screening hours, create new sources of revenue beyond ticket sales and attract audiences who may not normally go to the movies," said Shen Ying, a cinema industry manager.
By creating new supply to generate new demand, and using new demand to drive new supply, cinemas are turning their screens and facilities into broader cultural spaces, said Zhou Baohua, dean of the School of Journalism at Fudan University.
The shift is also receiving policy support. In June, the China Film Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation issued guidelines outlining 10 measures to promote diversified cinema operations and the development of cinema-based cultural activities.
The measures encourage cinemas to expand into areas such as food and beverage, cultural and creative retail, entertainment and arts events, while strengthening brand building, customer engagement and technology-driven service upgrades.
FILM-DRIVEN CONSUMPTION
During the National Day holiday, Yichun, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, found another way to bring its autumn scenery and the silver screen together, launching a film-and-tourism initiative inviting visitors to "travel with movies and explore home in the forest."
For Beijing tourist Kang Jiawen, the combination was hard to resist. After exploring the scenic area, Kang headed to a nearby cinema, where visitors with scenic-area tickets could enjoy 20 percent off movie tickets.
"I came to see a film after exploring the area," Kang said. "It's a great way to enjoy two experiences in one trip, with more ways to spend the holiday."
Yichun was not alone in looking beyond the cinema to expand the moviegoing experience.
In Zhongshan, south China's Guangdong Province, a film and television theme park turned the history of "qiaopi," letters and remittances sent home by earlier generations of overseas Chinese, into a tourist attraction during the holiday. A series of performances and interactive experiences drew more than 17,000 visitors in the first three days.
In Shizuishan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a filming location for "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" is tapping into the tourism interest generated by the movie. Local authorities have rolled out public-benefit promotions, upgraded tourism facilities and recreated scenes from the film to give visitors a chance to step into the story.
Such efforts are paying off. Preliminary statistics show that since the film's release, the site has received an average of 16 times as many visitors per day during peak periods as it did before its release.
"Across the country, the film industry is exploring fresh connections with dining, retail, tourism and film-related products, creating new cultural and consumer experiences for holidaymakers," said Zhou, adding that films are becoming a way to bring people together and draw them into a wider range of consumption spaces. ■
