Chinese film industry slumps after opening up to Hollywood

 HANGZHOU, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China's domestic film industry has hit a five-year low despite robust¹ growth in box office sales across the country in the first half of this year, filmmakers said.

The industry is going through a rough patch as ticket sales of domestic films started to fall in the first six months, a time when the country's total box office revenues gained by over 40 percent from a year ago.

The box office for domestic films dropped by 4.3 percent year on year to 2.8 billion yuan (444 billion U.S. dollars), according to the latest data from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT).

The slump² came just months after China amended³ rules in February to import more Hollywood movies for national distribution.

In the meantime, ticket sales of foreign films jumped by 90.4 percent year on year to 5.27 billion yuan.

China's rapidly expanding movie market collected 8.07 billion yuan in the first six months -- up by around 41.7 percent from a year ago.

In the January-June period, 14 blockbusters hit Chinese theaters among the 38 imported films screened in the country, and only two of them failed to bring in more than 100 million yuan.

In contrast, among the 141 China-made movies screened in the same period, only 5 percent managed to break even and the rest lost money, industry insiders said.

China had previously⁴ allowed only 20 American films -- mostly big-budget Hollywood fare -- to be distributed nationally each year. In February, the country agreed to allow an additional 14 U.S. films to be distributed each year as long as they are made in the 3D or IMAX formats⁵.

China represents one of the most attractive growth opportunities for the U.S. film industry, which is facing declining theater revenues and slumping⁶ DVD sales in North America.

The deal has greatly affected⁷ the country's movie market, because movie tickets are relatively⁸ expensive in China and audiences are more likely to choose cost-efficient Hollywood blockbusters which are better made and have bigger budgets, said Wang Changtian, president of Enlight Media, the largest independent production firm in China.

Moreover, driven by greater economic gains, cinemas tend not to grant golden time periods to domestic films. Many Chinese filmmakers complain that less popular domestic movies are given fewer screenings.

The decline in sales will have an adverse¹⁰ impact on investors¹¹, and many investment companies have already become cautious and slowed their pace.

"Once the capital chain ruptures¹², both the quantity and quality of domestic movies will all fall. The competitiveness of Chinese films will weaken," Wang said.

At Hengdian World Studios, the country's largest shooting base, located in east China's Zhejiang province, only 20 films were being shot in June, down from 50 last June.

According to forecasts from industrial insiders, films produced in China will decrease by 30 percent year on year to 500 this year, and the industry is expected to continue to shrink next year.

The SARFT is mulling a set of policies to help the industry pull through this tough transitional period, Zhang Hongsen, deputy director of the administration, had previously said without elaborating.

Current policies include a "domestic film month" that often lasts from June 20 to July 20, during which almost only Chinese films are shown in cinemas across the country.

In just three weeks after the "month" started, homemade films raked in 1 billion yuan, according to incomplete statistics.

"Painted Skin: The Resurrection," a Chinese fantasy-action film released on June 28, had grossed 516.6 million yuan by July 8.

It looks like this year's "domestic film month" will be extended through August, as Hollywood blockbusters that were set to be shown in Chinese theaters next month have been pushed off the August schedule.

However, protective measures are only temporary solutions. Film directors believe that China's film concept has lagged far behind that of Hollywood, according to a meeting held in April by the SARFT's film bureau to discuss how to cope with the impact of Hollywood blockbusters.

It is a phase that is inevitable¹³ for China's film industry, which needs some time to gradually grow and mature, said film director Wan⁹ Li.

1 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

2 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

3 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 formats   

n.（出版物的）版式( format的名词复数 )；[电视]电视节目的总安排（或计划）

参考例句：

• They are producing books in all kinds of different formats. 他们出版各种不同开本的书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. 真正的图形用户界面包括表示文字和图形的标准格式。 来自互联网

6 slumping   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的现在分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Hong Kong's slumping economy also caused a rise in bankruptcy applications. 香港经济低迷，破产申请个案随之上升。
• And as with slumping, over-arching can also be a simple postural habit. 就像弯腰驼背，过度挺直也可能只是一种习惯性姿势。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

9 wan   

(wide area network)广域网

参考例句：

• The shared connection can be an Ethernet,wireless LAN,or wireless WAN connection.提供共享的网络连接可以是以太网、无线局域网或无线广域网。

10 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

11 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

12 ruptures   

n.（体内组织等的）断裂( rupture的名词复数 )；爆裂；疝气v.（使）破裂( rupture的第三人称单数 )；（使体内组织等）断裂；使（友好关系）破裂；使绝交

参考例句：

• Fault ruptures may consist of a single narrow main break. 断层破裂可能只包括单独一条狭窄的主裂隙。 来自辞典例句
• The dry seed ruptures and the green leaf uncurls. 干瘪的种子裂开了，卷曲的绿叶伸展了。 来自辞典例句

13 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。