Ne Zha 2 premiere in US connects cultures

The Hollywood premiere of the blockbuster animated film Ne Zha 2 turned the TCL Chinese Theatre into a vibrant celebration of Chinese culture over the weekend.

Featuring a dragon dance, martial arts performances and a showcase of Chinese intangible cultural heritage, the event on Saturday drew an international audience to the iconic location on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The sequel to Ne Zha is titled Ne Zha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea, or Ne Zha 2.

Georges Chamchoum, executive director of the Asian World Film Festival, expressed deep appreciation for the cultural evolution of Chinese cinema, noting that the industry has shifted from old-fashioned productions to a more diverse and open expression of the country's culture.

"I think China has been doing forever good movies," Chamchoum told China Daily. "It's good to see that China is more open to show other kinds of movies, because a movie is the reflection of a country."

Ne Zha 2, based on Chinese mythology and the classic novel Investiture of the Gods, follows Ne Zha and his friend Ao Bing, born with supernatural powers from the Chaos Pearl. In the sequel, the duo face off against the Dragon King of the Four Seas and his army of sea creatures to protect their village.

The premiere was a significant moment for the film's international release, according to Gong Bohan, manager of the International Distribution Department at CMC Pictures, which manages the film's overseas distribution.

"It was also the first film to be released simultaneously at the TCL Chinese Theatre during the Chinese New Year celebrations," Gong told China Daily.

"We combined the film's red-carpet premiere with a showcase of China's intangible cultural heritage, allowing tourists from all over the world on the Walk of Fame to immerse themselves in Chinese culture," Gong said.

The film's success is already making waves globally. In China, Ne Zha 2 has broken box office records by becoming the first film ever to surpass $1 billion in a single market.

Released on Jan 29 for the Chinese New Year, Ne Zha 2 has grossed an astounding RMB 8 billion ($1.1 billion) in just 12 days, surpassing the $935 million earned by The Force Awakens in the US for the single-market record.