China’s 2026 Spring Festival films showcase next-generation cinema tech

China

China’s 2026 Spring Festival films showcase next-generation cinema tech

2026-02-16 16:17 Last Updated At：02-17 13:02

China's film industry is rolling out cutting-edge CINITY technology across all six new releases for the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, promising upgraded viewing experiences as the nine-day box office window opened on Sunday.

Six films will debut on Tuesday, the first day of the Chinese New Year of the Horse, including the espionage thriller "Scare Out", the racing sequel "Pegasus 3", the epic martial arts film "Blades of the Guardians", the animated adventure "Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe", the family-friendly "Boonie Bears: Every Year with a Bear", and the fantasy adventure "Per Aspera Ad Astra."

Moviegoers will have access to a rich variety of formats, including CINITY and IMAX, with all six titles offering CINITY versions. Developed by China Film Group Corporation in collaboration with GDC Technology Limited and Christie Digital, CINITY is a premium large-format projection system.

CINITY integrates advanced cinema technologies such as 4K resolution, 3D, high brightness, high frame rate, high dynamic range, wide color gamut, and immersive sound. A later LED variant employs self-emissive technology for infinite contrast ratios and peak brightness levels.

"We have produced CINITY versions for all the six films this year. For some of them, we have even specially produced exclusive versions featuring 4K resolution and 60 frame rates per second, a very high-level production. These films are 'Per Aspera Ad Astra,' 'Pegasus 3,' 'Scare Out,' and 'Blades of the Guardians " said Bian Wei, a senior technical leader at China Film Group Corporation and CEO of its advanced CINITY format.

Bian said major upgrades to sound design are enhancing the immersive quality of this year's films, supported by innovations in LED display technology.

"We have also made significant upgrades in improving the sound effects. For the largest LED display screen, which is 23 meters wide, we've managed to make it only 1.8 millimeters in thickness, allowing the loudspeakers to be placed behind to cut down on the screen's impact on the sound," said Bian.

An expert in the movie industry said China's film industry is continuously adopting high technology to create top-notch special effects, notably through AI-powered motion capture, advanced virtual production, and LED screens.

"Making and producing films is an industry with highly concentrated cultural attributes. For this year's movies, whether they are live-action ones or animated ones, their special effects pose very high requirements for computing power and electricity," said Sun Jiashan, a researcher from the Department of Chinese Culture Teaching and Research at the Central Institute of Socialism.

The Spring Festival season is one of the highest‑stakes box office windows in China's film market, currently the world's second‑largest after North America.

According to data from Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan, the pre-sale box office for the 2026 Spring Festival holiday has surpassed 500 million yuan (over 72 million U.S. dollars) as of Monday afternoon.

Escalating Middle East conflict strains India’s fertilizer supply

Farmers in India, a major agricultural producer and fertilizer importer, are raising concerns over fertilizer availability ahead of the planting season, as the escalating Middle East conflict and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz put global supplies at risk.

The Middle East serves as both a vital energy hub and a major global fertilizer supplier, yet the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has heightened risks of disruption to international supplies.

Chand Singh Yadav, a farmer in Haryana, a northern Indian state, said poor crop yields would be disastrous for the country and called on the government to ensure adequate supplies of fertilizers, agrochemicals and seeds to prevent a food crisis. "Without fertilizers, our crops will not grow well, and this would be disastrous for the entire country. If farmers cannot grow crops, people will not be able to buy food in the market. We urge the government to improve the supply system for fertilizers, agrochemicals and seeds to prevent the country and society as a whole from sliding into a food crisis," he said.

The Indian government is stepping up subsidies for farmers and optimizing fertilizer distribution and allocation to stabilize the supply. Prices have remained broadly stable, but demand is expected to surge ahead of the planting season, potentially exacerbating supply pressures.

"The current situation is worrying for us farmers. Spring sowing has not yet started, and the rainy season has not arrived. Fertilizer prices are temporarily stable, but in two months, demand for agricultural fertilizers will become pressing. Without fertilizers, it will be difficult to properly cultivate various types of crops. Urea and diammonium phosphate are especially critical. Crops can only grow normally when these fertilizers are applied. As these fertilizers are largely imported, if the conflict persists, supplies cannot be guaranteed," said Santosh Mishra, a farmer in India's eastern state of Odisha.