A variety of film-related events, ranging from screenings and themed exhibitions to art salons for both new releases and classic films, were held in Shanghai on Friday and Saturday, entertaining movie enthusiasts with diverse choices and further fueling the summer movie season.
On Friday afternoon, a post-screening talk for the Hong Kong action film The Furious was held at AI CINEMA in Shanghai, where two of the film's stars took the stage to interact with the audience. The cinema operator said it will roll out over 20 special events this summer.
"We held a meet-and-greet event for The Furious this week. We also held many film-related forums and special screenings, such as whisky-themed screenings, marriage proposal screenings, and post-screening talks," said Zhou Zhenyu, founder of AI CINEMA.
To mark the new release of the Chinese film Crossing, the cinema has set up an exhibition on the history of the Long March (1934-1936).
The Long March was a military maneuver by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army that later became a defining episode in modern Chinese history, symbolizing endurance and perseverance as the soldiers trekked some of the country's harshest terrain to break through the enemy's annihilation and fight the Japanese invaders. The entire odyssey covers 12,500 kilometers. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March.
Industry insiders report a significant boost in this summer's film lineup, with dozens of weekly meet-and-greets and hundreds of events planned for the summer movie season.
"Over the three months of June, July, and August, around 50 summer vacation movies will hit cinemas. Each blockbuster will be accompanied by dozens of meet-and-greets in Shanghai every week. In addition to regular commercial screenings, we will also launch a variety of film exhibitions throughout the city, beyond the Shanghai International Film Festival," said Jin Hui, secretary-general of the Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association.
On Saturday afternoon, a screening and post-screening talk of San Mao Joins the Army, a 1992 Chinese comedy film, took place at the cinema in the China Art Museum. The place was packed, with people even sitting in the aisles. The old film had the audience laughing again and again.
"I can get an up-close look at the creative journey of the original team behind this film," said a movie goer.
According to the Shanghai Art Museum, a co-organizer of the event, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the original comic San Mao Joins the Army and the 70th anniversary of the museum's founding. The event aims to offer the public a wide variety of art education experiences.
"We've launched a new series this year called 'Art Film in Art Museum,' which will host regular film screenings. We expect to hold over 20 events throughout the year," said Jiang Getao, deputy director of the Shanghai Art Museum.
Shanghai film events fuel summer movie season
