Back to basics

Three Chinese films－Operation Mekong, Song of the Phoenix and Kaili Blues－are recommended by the critics committee of the China Film Association. [Photo provided to China Daily]

He says even until a couple of years ago, critical appreciation did not mean commercial success for Chinese films.

"When some works were highly rated by professional critics, they usually did badly in the market," he recalls.

"The public saw such films as harder to understand."

But the situation has changed after poor productions swarmed the market in recent times.

"People will not choose a film simply for a big star, and public praise for films is playing an important role at the box office," says Zhou.

"It's a good thing for our audiences to cherish good films."

In 2016, the satirical comedy Mr. Donkey, which is adapted from a stage play, and Song of the Phoenix, which focuses on inheritance of traditional folklore, were both considered good within a small circle but they turned out to be commercially successful.

Paths of the Soul, following some Tibetan villagers' pilgrimage to a sacred mountain, premiered in June, and even set a record at the box office－in art-house film history－earning more than 100 million yuan.

Filmgoers in China now frequently refer to popular review websites like Douban to check a film's quality before going to cinemas.

Liu Jun, a researcher with the Beijing Film Academy, says such guidance is also helpful to filmmakers in finding typical Chinese stories for the big screen while avoiding being repetitive.

"We've seen too many historical or fantasy films in recent years," he says. "Our filmmakers can say something more about Chinese wisdom or bravery in handling modern issues. They can reflect the big picture of our times."

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn