The releases of new films so far this summer have not only enriched people's cultural life, but also helped to boost consumption in east China's Jiangxi Province.
At a cinema in Nanchang City, the provincial capital of Jiangxi, new films of different genres such as action, comedy and fantasy are meeting the needs of viewers of different age groups.
Due to high temperatures in June, the air-conditioned cinema has seen a significant increase of moviegoers in the afternoon since the beginning of this month, according to cinema staff.
Many cinemas have extended opening hours and increased screenings to receive more moviegoers.
"The weather is too hot these days, so I've come to watch a film while enjoying the cool temperature here. After watching the film, I will have some meal in the mall, and go shopping to buy something I like before returning home," said Cao Juan, a local resident.
"I've come to watch this film with my friends. There are various genres of films that have a good reputation, so we decided to watch some during our holiday," said Xiong Lingfeng, another resident.
The film screenings have also fueled consumption in stores and restaurants surrounding the cinemas in shopping malls.
For example, "Dear You", a popular Chinese film drawing on the history of "qiaopi " -- the letters and remittances sent home by earlier generations of overseas Chinese, has drawn many viewers to restaurants to have a taste of Hakka dishes after watching it, as the film is about a Chaoshan grandma exchanging letters with someone in Thailand. Chaoshan and Hakka are two culturally intertwined Han Chinese subgroups that dominate the eastern and mountainous regions of Guangdong Province in south China.
"These days, more than half of the customers coming to our restaurant for meals are actually moviegoers. The table turnover rate in our restaurant has nearly doubled compared to last month," said Fu Yijian, a restaurant manager.
As of 00:00 on Monday, China's 2026 box office revenue had exceeded 16 billion yuan (around 2.37 billion U.S. dollars).
New films enrich people's cultural life, fuel consumption in east China's Jiangxi
