Chinese developed film projection system gains traction in cinema industry

CINITY LED, a China-developed high-end cinema system, performed strong in the market in 2025, with a significant growth in audience numbers and new recognition from the global film industry.

A cinema in Sichuan Province's Chengdu is drawing moviegoers from out of town to make a trip to the city just to enjoy movies on China's first curved CINITY LED screen.

"The screen is enormous, with very clear images. The colors are incredibly vibrant, and every detail, compared with other cinemas, looks far more vivid," said Luo Yantong, a moviegoer.

"I came from Zigong City just to have an experience of this theater. The colors on the screen are very bright, plus it's a curved screen, so the viewing experience is absolutely fantastic," said Qiu Qihui, another viewer.

The CINITY LED system provides a viewing experience with smoother, clearer images and higher brightness compared with traditional systems. When watching a movie in CINITY LED theaters, many viewers say they noticed more details that were unseen on traditional screens.

"The LED viewing experience really brings out the true colors and details in the images, so all the details filmmakers want to show the audience can be authentically conveyed to them," said Bian Wei, general manager of CINITY.

CINITY theaters achieved remarkable box office results during this year's Spring Festival period, with multiple data hitting new highs. Between Chinese New Year's Eve and the seventh day of the New Year, ticket sales at CINITY theaters rose by 82.6 percent, with attendance up by 80.2 percent, and the average number of viewers per screening increasing by 73.3 percent. CINITY theaters now boost an average of 107 viewers per screening, more than doubling the attendance at regular theaters.

These impressive figures indicate that the Chinese audiences are recognizing and favoring the domestic film projection system, highlighting China's ongoing innovations in the film technology sector.

Traditional film projection systems typically offer 2K resolution and 24 frames per second, but with the widespread application of digital technology, audience expectations for higher-quality visuals have grown. CINITY's film system, launched in August 2019, combines seven cutting-edge film projection technologies: 4K, 3D, high brightness, high frame rates, high dynamic range (HDR), wide color gamut, and immersive sound.

In 2023, CINITY introduced the CINITY LED system, a groundbreaking 4K, 120-frame LED cinema projection system, the first of its kind in the world.

"LED technology is revolutionary compared with traditional projection systems. Traditional films rely on a beam of light projected onto a screen, whereas LED lights each individual pixel, significantly improving light efficiency. The uniformity is excellent, and the contrast ratio has hit a quite high level," Bian said.

During this year's Spring Festival, the CINITY LED CFL-10, featuring a 10-meter LED screen, earned the latest CTP1.4.1 certification from the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI), becoming the world's first LED cinema projection system to receive this certification.

It is also the only high dynamic range LED projection system globally recognized by the organization, giving China a leading position in setting a new global standard for professional LED systems.

CINITY LED is also titled to its own film mastering process. The company opened its Los Angeles mastering center in January, making CINITY LED the only brand in the world that presents exclusive LED mastering version movies.

"Since its inception, cinema technology has adhered to a global standard, allowing films produced in one country to be shown on equipment in any other countries. However, in the course of technological development, special high-format versions of films have emerged. What is the significance here? First of all, you need to have the recognition of the film production side. Their approval of making this version of yours means they see it as something unique or better that offers the most authentic movie-watching experience. It is also more appealing to audiences and expands a film's influence and reach," Bian said.

Chinese developed film projection system gains traction in cinema industry

Some Iranians in Türkiye are crossing back over the border, driven by worry and desperation, as a nationwide communications blackout in Iran has left them cut off from their loved ones.

Protests have erupted in many Iranian cities since Dec. 28. They initially began with Tehran bazaar merchants demonstrating against the sharp devaluation of the national currency rial, and soaring inflation, before spreading to other cities. The unrest has led to casualties among both security forces and civilians.

At the Turkish-Iranian border, many are returning with no certainty about what awaits them, filled instead with questions and growing fear for those on the other side of the border.

"I went to Van yesterday for internet. I urgently needed to use the internet. I got it done. Now I'm heading straight back. There are protests everywhere. We can't get any news. We can't communicate with our families. And it's not just me, there are many Iranians outside the country who can't reach their families," said Feriste, an Iranian citizen.

With communications blacked out across Iran, those outside the country feel powerless to check on the situation back home. For some, this silence has prompted them to return across the border, even as tensions continue to rise.

"We can't get any news. There is no internet. Everything is shut down. I want to search. I want to find out. I want to see my brother. I'm going to see my family," said Husnu, an Iranian citizen.

"I work in Türkiye, and I have no news from Iran at all. I'm going back because I'm worried about my family. It's been days since I last heard from them, and because I'm worried, I'm returning to Iran now. Of course, we are concerned about our safety. We don't know what awaits us there," said another Iranian.

With protests escalating and government blackouts still in place, many Iranians are caught between staying in safety abroad and risking everything to reconnect with their families.

"We had to come to Türkiye because we couldn't reach our families. Schools were closed already. All official institutions were shut down. We have no information about other cities either, because there is no communication network there. There is no television, no internet. We can't even check Twitter," said Nazlican, another Iranian citizen.

Iranians in Türkiye return home, fearing for their families amid unrest in Iran