Starting on Saturday, the Budapest China town hosted a two-day Spring Festival celebration, bringing traditional Chinese performances, delicacies and culture to the city, and attracting locals to try all kinds of activities from the east. The "Happy Chinese New Year" Temple Fair brought together thousands of artists and visitors from the East and the West to welcome the approaching 2025 Spring Festival, which marks the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Jan 29.
"The reason why we are here is that we are very much interested in Chinese culture, tradition and music," said a visitor. With dragon and lion dances, as well as traditional Chinese operas performed, Chinese music and dances are among the most popular forms of entertainment, especially for children. "My children love Chinese culture, so I've taken them here," said a mother with two kids. "I think this is awesome, and the music is the most attractive part. It is worth a visit," added her daughter. Many families reached the place early in the morning to find the best positions to enjoy the shows and events, which provides local people a chance to learn about Chinese traditions. "Since the temple fair's opening this morning, we have been here with the family members and our little boy loves everything here, particularly the music and dance," said a father. "We know that every Chinese Lunar Year is connected with a different animal, and as far as I know, this year is a Year of the Snake," said his wife. Every Chinese Lunar New Year ushers in a new reigning animal representing one of the 12 zodiac signs on the Chinese lunar calendar, with 2025 being a Year of the Snake.
Among all the visitors, István Jakab, deputy speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, guested the fair, and shared his best wishes for China-Hungary relations. "The friendship between China and Hungary has been a legend, and the future is bright and beautiful. Till now, the cooperation between the two countries has been productive, and we are confident we will seek closer cooperation in the future. Gong Xi Fa Cai [Wish You Great Fortune]," said Jakab. "Gong Xi Fa Cai (Wish You Great Fortune)," he added, extending best New Year wishes in Chinese.
Chinese New Year fair opened in Budapest to mark upcoming Spring Festival
The Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 began preview screenings in London on Friday ahead of its official release in the country and Ireland on March 21, attracting excited crowds to watch the film in advance.
The film made its debut in the UK at London's BFI IMAX, home to the country's largest IMAX screen and is scheduled to screen in over 250 cinemas of 100 cities across the UK and Ireland during the first week of release.
The film's Europe-wide distributor, Trinity CineAsia, announced that it has acquired theatrical distribution rights for Ne Zha 2 across 37 countries in Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany. This scale of film release is exceptionally rare in the history of overseas distribution for Chinese-language films, reflecting the strong confidence of local cinemas in the movie's market potential.
"The fact that it is here and, you know, that we are getting a lot more influx of films from all across Asia from China, South Korea, Japan, South Asia as well. I think it's really good to kind of like widen the palate, because we all want to escape our little cinematic bubble and see what the rest of the world has to offer," said Jack Martin, a film reviewer, in an interview with the China Central Television (CCTV).
"Ne Zha 2" has shattered global box office records to become the No. 1 box office animated film of all times and also the first non-Hollywood production to crack the global all-time top 10 box office chart.
Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, the movie has attracted attention of global audiences with its stunning visuals, well-crafted storytelling, and deep cultural heritage.
"And I think all these elements show that Ne Zha 2 is both a film that's modern, but also has its roots in something very deep and very ancient," said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, in an interview with the CCTV.
Many audiences attending the preview screening in London have shared their thoughts about the movie in interviews with the CCTV.
"It was moving like heartwarming. Yes, I'll go home now and talk to it to all my friends," said a moviegoer.
"I thought that the humor of the film was really great, but it balances so perfectly with some of the more dramatic and heartfelt moments of it. And yeah, I really, really enjoyed it. And the language barrier was not a problem at all," said another moviegoer.
"We might not speak the same language, but at its heart is a very universal theme of friendship and just trying to do right in the world. And I think that a lot of people really resonate with that. I can see why it's done so well in China already," said Jack Martin.
James Smith, an social media influencer, shared his views about the movie in Chinese language during the interview. He thought the movie can serve as a bridge for foreigners to understand Chinese culture.
"I watched Ne Zha, the 2019 box office hit, in China. When I heard that its sequel was set to debut in the UK today, I rushed to the cinema to see it. It's definitely a great movie, filled with humor, touching moments, and encouragement. My friends often ask me how they can better understand China, because they think I know something about the country. I would say that you can watch the Ne Zha 2, as I believe it's a great film and through which you can learn something about Chinese culture," he said.
Ne Zha 2 begins preview screenings in London, captivating local audiences
