A forum themed Passing the Torch, Riding the Momentum – The Path to High-Quality Development of Chinese Film is held in Beijing on April 19, 2025.
Chinese film making has gone through a glorious development of 120 years, since the opera movie Dingjun Mountain was screened in 1905. That event marked the first fusion between traditional Chinese culture and modern technology, according to Deng Guanghui, executive chairman of the China Film Association.
To review the path which China has taken to reach such outstanding achievements of Chinese films, a forum themed Passing the Torch, Riding the Momentum – The Path to High-Quality Development of Chinese Film organized by China Film Association (CFA), Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles (BFLAC), and Beijing Film Association (BFA), was held in Beijing on April 19, 2025.
During the forum, thirteen guests and experts discussed the successful path and future possibilities for the high-quality development of Chinese films. Hundreds of attendees included experts, practitioners, reporters, as well as students from home and abroad.
As the cradle and enduring symbol of Chinese cinema, Beijing continues to solidify its role as the nation’s cinematic powerhouse. According to a report on the Beijing film industry in 2024 released by the BFA, the city has emerged as a creative epicenter for film production. Last year, there were 775 registered films produced by companies in Beijing, accounting for over a quarter of the total 2,975 domestic booked films. Four of these Beijing-produced films ranked among the year’s top ten highest-grossing domestic releases, while 17 surpassed the RMB 100 million box office milestone. Together, these 17 films accounted for 31 percent of the 55 nationwide releases that achieved similar commercial success, underscoring Beijing’s outsized influence in shaping both artistic innovation and audience engagement.
As a mega city, Beijing has become a market trendsetter. The box office in Beijing reached RMB 2.09 billion last year, accounting for nearly five percent of China’s total box office of RMB 42.5 billion. Three cinemas in Beijing have been listed on the top ten list of the annual national cinema box office, with the top one located in Beijing as well.
Meanwhile, Beijing has become a center for the film industry with 11,000 registered film enterprises, accounting for 7.4 percent of the national total. Among them, there are 500 large-sized, 1,390 middle-sized, and 18 listed companies.
As an international cultural center, Beijing is also a demonstration zone for the film industry. The authorities of municipal and district levels have issued multiple policies and provided public services to promote the film industry. It has also sponsored and rewarded 67 film projects, with a year-on-year growth of 148 percent.
As a hub for cinematic talent in Beijing, the BFA boasts a membership of over 1,100 accomplished professionals who have made significant contributions to the film industry. More than 30 filmmakers from Beijing won awards in international and domestic competitions during 2024. The BFA also collaborates with leading academic institutions, including the Beijing Film Academy, the Central Academy of Drama, and the Communication University of China, to cultivate the next generation of talents poised to shape the future of global cinema.
“The industry still requires substantial progress in enhancing talent aggregation, fostering creative dynamism, and stimulating market vitality to establish Beijing as a world-class film hub,” said Yin Hong, vice chairman of the BFA.
At the forum, a new platform for short films was launched. Organized by BFLAC, China National Film Museum, and BFA, the See! New Forces in Film – Beijing Short Film Week kicked off, aiming to cultivate more new artwork and art creators to promote innovative short films.
