Chinese cinema marks 120th anniversary with Beijing gala

The China National Film Museum and China Movie Channel hosted an event on Dec. 28 marking the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, with the China Film Administration holding a parallel gathering to promote upcoming New Year film releases.

Filmmakers narrate the history of cinema at the China National Film Museum in Beijing, Dec. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of China Movie Channel]

The celebration, which also commemorated the 130th anniversary of world cinema and the museum's 20th anniversary, invited numerous filmmakers to trace Chinese cinema's history using items from the museum's collection of more than 37,558 artifacts.

During one segment, filmmakers Xi Meijuan and Ren Min traced the origins of China's first silent short film, displaying the desk and traditional writing tools used by Zheng Zhengqiu when creating "Die for Marriage" in 1913.

Director Xiao Guiyun shared memories of working with her late husband and collaborator Li Qiankuan beside the camera equipment they used to film "The Birth of New China" (1989) and "Chongqing Negotiations" (1993).

Director Xiao Guiyun (right) shares memories of her filmmaking career at the China National Film Museum in Beijing, Dec. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of China Movie Channel]

Host and actor Ni Ping and filmmaker Liang Jing gave a presentation featuring a vintage Filmo camera of the type used by the Yan'an Film Troupe in 1938. The segment included freeze frames of heroic figures and a vinyl recording of "March of the Volunteers," the theme song from the film "Children of Troubled Times" (1935), which later became China's national anthem.

Actors Zhang Kaili, Liu Jin, Hou Yong and Wang Renjun performed famous lines from landmark films spanning decades of Chinese cinema, from "The Spring River Flows East" (1947) and "Song of Youth" (1959) to recent productions including "My People, My Country" (2019), "The Wandering Earth" (2019), "The Battle at Lake Changjin" (2021) and "Dead to Rights" (2025).

Chinese animation, now a century old, received special recognition at the event. Animated films generated more than 25 billion yuan ($3.54 billion) at the Chinese box office this year — a record for the sector — driven largely by "Ne Zha 2."

The film's lead voice actor, Lyu Yanting, thanked audiences for their support of Chinese animators. Light Chaser Animation president Yu Zhou said the achievements represent more than numbers, calling them the result of countless animators striving toward excellence. Characters from the "Boonie Bears" franchise also made an appearance.

The program included performances of classic film theme songs from "Song of the Fishermen" and "A Chinese Odyssey," among others.

To mark the anniversary, the museum has launched several exhibitions showcasing Chinese film achievements, released industry standards and research findings, and organized public screenings and themed events. Two cartoon IP mascots for the museum were unveiled at the event.

Two cartoon mascots for the China National Film Museum are unveiled at an event in Beijing, Dec. 28, 2025. [Photo courtesy of China Movie Channel]

At the China Film Administration's parallel event, filmmakers promoted upcoming releases for the 2025 year-end and 2026 New Year holiday season. The concept of a dedicated New Year movie season in China dates to 1995, when Jackie Chan's "Rumble in the Bronx" was released.

Chan, 71, returns this season with "Unexpected Family," an emotional drama in which he plays a man with Alzheimer's disease rather than performing his trademark kung fu.

Other anticipated domestic releases include "Escape from the Outland," "Enough Is Enough," "The Fire Raven," "Measure in Love," "Love is Hard," "Every Dog Has Its Day" and "Shuke and Beita: The Miniature Humans."

Imported films currently in theaters are expected to maintain momentum through the holiday. "Avatar: Fire and Ash" has already grossed more than 700 million yuan, while "Zootopia 2" is approaching 4 billion yuan.

The museum event also featured a fan and an IMAX projectionist recalling the frenzy surrounding the original "Avatar" in 2010, when audiences lined up overnight for tickets. That film grossed 1.72 billion yuan at a time when China had just 5,000 screens and 14 IMAX theaters — compared with nearly 100,000 screens and 800 IMAX theaters today.

Filmmakers promote upcoming New Year season releases at an event at the China National Film Museum in Beijing, Dec. 28, 2025. [Photo/China.org.cn]

Other notable foreign films on the horizon include "Anaconda," "Mercy," "Wicked: For Good," "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants," "Dangerous Animals" and "Return to Silent Hill." The acclaimed Spanish animated feature "Robot Dreams" is also getting a re-release. Director Pablo Berger attended the event after visiting several Chinese cities to promote the film.

"I just want to say — beautiful country, beautiful audience, an amazing cinema," he said of his impressions of China.