China’s mega-blockbuster animated film “Ne Zha 2” premiered in Macau yesterday, on the sidelines of which a representative of the film’s co-distributors in Hong Kong and Macau, David Ding Kai, general manager of Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd., told reporters that the film will be released in seven local cinemas from Saturday, with about 50 showings that day.
“There’s no specific end-day [set for the film run in local cinemas]; we’ll continue to show it as long as there’s demand,” said Ding, according to whom, excluding ticket packages arranged for local associations, about 30 percent of the movie’s tickets available in 40 percent of the local cinemas have already been pre-sold before the movie’s local release starting this Saturday.
In terms of his box office expectations, Ding said: “It’s hard to predict box office performance [in Macau] at this time, but we hope to perform well… If the audience responds positively, we may consider adding more showings”.
According to Ding, the film, distributed by Mandarin Motion Pictures, Intercontinental Film Distributors, Sil-Metropole Organisation and Emperor Motion Pictures, will be released locally in Putonghua with “no Cantonese dubbing for the time being” but including English and Chinese subtitles.
Under the guidance of the National Film Administration (NFA), and with the support of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau and relevant local public entities, the premiere took place at Emperor Cinemas at the Lisboeta integrated resort (IR) in Cotai yesterday evening.
Delivering a speech during the ceremony, Ding said: “We feel honoured to present such a high-quality work to Macau,” adding the co-distributors believe that the film will provide cinemagoers with an exceptional audio-visual experience, allowing them to appreciate the allure of Chinese animated films and the richness of traditional Chinese culture.
Also addressing the premiere, Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man said that the success of “Ne Zha 2” has provided a significant revelation for the local film and television industry, as it is encouraging industry practitioners to draw more from Chinese culture in their future creations, incorporating elements of Chinese heritage into animated films and other productions through innovative approaches, showcasing the richness of longstanding Chinese culture and further developing Macau as a base for cultural exchange and cooperation, where “Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist”.
After five years of production, the film, which includes thousands of special effects shots and over 10,000 special effects elements, was released on January 29, the first day of the Chinese New Year. Since its debut, it has shattered box office records in China’s film history, having reached more than 12.4 billion yuan as of Tuesday. It currently holds the “crown” of the No. 1 animated film at the global box office.
The premiere was also attended by Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau Publicity and Culture Department Director-General Wan Sucheng, along with other representatives from local and mainland broadcasting organisations.
Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man (left) and David Ding Kai, general manager of Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd – a co-distributor of “Ne Zha 2” in Hong Kong and Macau – deliver their respective speeches during yesterday’s premiere at Emperor Cinemas of the Lisboeta integrated resort in Cotai. – Photos: Yuki Lei
Filmgoers for “Ne Zha 2” mega-blockbuster queue while entering Emperor Cinemas at Lisboeta in Cotai before the film’s premiere yesterday evening.
This photo taken yesterday shows “Ne Zha 2” audience members waving their tickets before the start of the movie.
