Box office doesn't decide films' success in the time of pandemic

Among the leisure activities during the summer vacation is going to the movies with family and friends. This year, however, the situation is different.

By Aug 5, the total box office collection in China was 5.8 billion yuan ($895.71 million), only about 30 percent of that in 2019. Just one film, Chinese Doctors, which tells the story of Chinese medical workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, made more than 1 billion yuan at the box office. That has made many wonder whether the domestic film industry is on the decline.

Definitely not. In fact, more than 70 Chinese films were completed in June and about 50 in July. Analysts say that most of them are "small budget" movies, not big commercial extravaganzas that can trigger a frenzy among audiences with their computer-generated special effects.

However, "small budget" movies mean lower investment in CGI animation, not necessarily lesser social impact.

For example, Chinese Doctors tells the story of how doctors and nurses fought the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, leaving many in the audience teary eyed and prompting others to profusely thank those brave warriors.

Another good example is 1921, a film which tells how the founders of the Communist Party of China accomplished their mission 100 years ago and laid the path to a brighter future.

Box office success should not be the only parameter for judging a film. Social influences should be taken into account more. It is more important that cultural products such as movies have a positive influence on society.

Besides, many factors decide a film's box office success. And the pandemic has ruined the chances of many films doing well at the box office, because according to the China Film Administration, cinemas in low-risk areas are allowed to run at 75 percent capacity, while those in middle- and high-risk areas have been asked to remain closed.

Plus, the 11th Beijing International Film Festival scheduled for August has been deferred.

All these show the pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the domestic film industry.

In such a situation, a film's success should not be evaluated just on its box office performance. One should also take into account the social impact it has had and the positive role it has played in boosting people's confidence.