The number of cinema screens in China reached more than 53,000 by the end of 2017, with more theaters to be built this year, according to a report by People's Daily.
As a result, watching first-run movies is no longer an exclusive privilege for people living in first- and second-tier cities. Young residents in mid-population and smaller cities can also enjoy top-quality entertainment.
According to Maoyan, theaters in third and-fourth-tier cities drew the most crowds during Spring Festival.
The mega-hit documentary feature Amazing China also earned more than 400 million yuan ($63.9 million) across the nation.
According to mtime.com, among all viewers, those aged from 20 to 29 account for 55.5 percent, proof the Chinese film industry boom has a great deal to do with the younger generation.
Moreover, the China Research Institute of Film Science and Technology has taken a series of measures to create "smart cinemas", recently releasing an app with the same name.
"The operation of smart cinemas is still in an early stage, so researchers have to tackle lots of problems. In the future, I believe more moviegoers can watch the latest movies on their smart phones," said Gao Qunyao, CEO of the Smart Cinema app. "When that day comes, people will have more choices to see movies, whether on giant or small screens. And it will surely give a boost to films' box office performance."
China was the world's second-largest film market, with box office sales of more than 55.9 billion yuan (about $8.9 billion) in 2017.
Some experts have predicted that as Chinese film industry gains more cultural confidence and takes a people-centered approach to meet people's needs for a better life, the film market is bound to reach the top in the near future.
