It would seem that many Beijingers spent their Spring Festival holidays watching movies at the cinemas because box-office takings doubled during this time, the Beijing Times reported yesterday.

 

According to the Beijing-based New Film Association, a major Chinese film company, box-office revenues of its cinema chain reached 9.5 million yuan (US1.18 million), more than twice the 4.14 million yuan (US$514,285.7) it earned over the same period last year.

 

Many cinemas in Beijing were so busy during the Spring Festival holiday that many cinema staff had to go back to work ahead of schedule.

 

 

"Fearless, directed and acted by Jet Li, topped sales with 68 million yuan (US$8.45 million)," Jiang Wei from New Century Cinema said.

 

King Kong made its debut on January 15, and saw a seat occupation rate as high as 80 percent. King Kong was especially popular with female movie-goers and its mainland box-office revenue was almost 80 million yuan (US$9.94 million) as of February 5.

 

L'Empire des Loups, featuring French movie star Jean Reno, also registered good sales.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2006)