The Chinese premiere of Lilo & Stitch, a live-action animated remake of Disney's classic work released in 2002, was held in Beijing on Friday, bringing audiences back to the warmth they felt in the animated version 23 years ago.
The story of this modern classic centers around a young Hawaiian girl named Lilo and a mischievous alien creature known as Stitch, formally called Experiment 626, who crash-lands on Earth while escaping intergalactic authorities.
The film' central theme revolves around "ohana", the Hawaiian concept of family, with characters emphasizing that "ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."
The live-action remake of the classic work has finally been brought to screen, bringing joy to many Chinese moviegoers who dressed up like the characters in the film to attend the premiere ceremony in Beijing.
"I am dressing up like the live-action version of Lilo, and I dressed [the Lilo doll] in the same outfit as mine," said a moviegoer.
"I brought my Stitch doll from home to watch the premiere together," said another audience member.
For many, part of the excitement was seeing how classic scenes from the original animation have been faithfully recreated for the big screen.
"It's incredibly faithful to the original. When we watched it, we felt the casting made every character look just like they do in the animated film, and Stitch is fluffy and absolutely adorable," said another moviegoer.
"When I saw the ending, all I could think was 'here it comes -- the most iconic scene.' And without even realizing it, tears just started streaming down my face," said another moviegoer.
Lilo & Stitch fans in Beijing dress up to attend long-awaited premiere of live-action remake
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
