A scene from Ex File Photo: CFP

A scene from Beijing Love Story Photo: CFP

A scene from Beijing Love Story Photo: CFP

The end of the Spring Festival holidays has not seen a cooling off for the film market in China, on the contrary, Valentine's Day means young couples are expected to send box-office receipts even higher. Last year cinemas took in 200 million yuan ($33 million) in a single day.

A total of seven romantic films are ready for release today, plus Ex File, which premiered on January 31 but has risen in popularity over the past two weeks, meaning there will be plenty of choices for young lovers.

Metropolis romance

Among the bustle of Beijing, various romantic stories happen everyday, as well as those of loss and frustration. A few years ago, a hit TV series called Beijing Love Story by the young director Chen Sicheng caused quite a stir with audiences. This year, Chen released his first movie, also entitled Beijing Love Story, although the story is quite different.

The plot is told through the eyes of five couples; Two teenagers meet and find purest puppy love; A young couple are convinced they are soul mates after making eye contact for the first time; A middle aged couple are torn apart when the husband repeatedly cheats on his wife; A couple who have been married for decades try to spice up their marriage by playing special games; And a grandmother tries to find another woman to take care of her husband after discovering she has a terminal illness.

These five couples tell stories that anyone could encounter in different phases of their lives. Chen said the idea of "making a movie about the different love stories people experience in their whole lives has long existed in my mind." The movie features stars including Carina Lau, Tony Leung, Chen Sicheng, Yu Nan and Siqin Gaowa. It hit the big screen at 14:00 on February 13, a time with special meaning in Chinese, as 1314 sounds similar to "I will love you my whole life."

Another romantic comedy called Ex File deals with the issue of ex-lovers. When ex-lovers suddenly appear at the start of a new relationship, it can be a big test.

This movie features a boy (performed by star Han Geng) and a girl (Yao Xingtong) who meet each other at a special wedding ceremony, where the boys sit at the table for the bride's ex-boyfriends and the girls sit at the table for the groom's ex-girlfriends. Their love quickly blossoms, but they are confronted with big challenges in the form of their numerous exs.

Ex File hit the big screen on January 31 and received good reviews from audiences. A Net user Fanshuang7hao wrote on douban.com: "Ex File is an outstanding comedy, I spent two thirds of my time in laughter. It tells the story of a man who does not take love seriously in the begining, but gradually learns how to love after several serious relationships."

Love is an ancient story

In the world of romance, love transcends time or place. Therefore, some ancient love stories still move modern people today. The Destiny and Chrysanthemums Terrace are two such romantic movies set in the past.

An early poster for Chrysanthemums Terrace showed an ancient dagger, which was taken by some to imply conspiracy. The movie's producers stated that Chrysanthemums Terrace is about Huan Chunsheng and Meigu, a couple who lived in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Yet the couple's love story starts not when both are alive, but after the death of Meigu. Some people have called it a Chinese version of Ghost.

In The Destiny, love is hampered by war. Set in a small town in Zhejiang Province in 1937, during the War of Resistance against the Japanese Aggression,  a young women called Yulian is due to be married, only to find her fiancee Mingxuan has run away to join the Chinese army. The man's younger brother Minghao disguises himself as Mingxuan to attend the wedding ceremony.

Later Yulian and Minghao fall in love, but the two are not accepted due to the morals of the local people. To make things worse, Mingxuan dies and the war comes near the town. Like his older brother, Minghao decides to join the army, leaving Yulian alone in waiting.

Some critics, however, doubt that today's young audience will be interested in movies set in the past, and it could be hard for them to compete with more modern love stories.

Love is not simple

While some love stories are pure and leave only a sweet taste, romance is sometimes linked with seduction, taboo, or harsh reality.

The Cabin in the Montains is one such example. Based on the lives of young people involved in Hong Kong's night life, The Cabin in the Mountains entails a bizarre love triangle that leads to a crisis of friendship. The work of Hong Kong director Gary Tang, who is better known for crime TV shows, the film goes beyond pure romance.

Starring famous actress Carina Lau, Bends bridges another sensitive topic - extramarital relationships. Upper class lady Anna hits financial trouble after her husband suddenly goes missing, while at the same time her personal driver's relationship with his pregnant wife begins to unravel. An affair leaves the two stuck in an even more complicated situation.

The debut movie of Flora Lau, Bends was screened in Cannes last May. A critic from variety.com said that the movie was "beautifully assembled by a top production crew, but it remains modest in scope and impact."

Love Needs One More Night is more like an inspirational movie than a simple romance. Taking place in a town in Guangdong Province known for clothes and toy factories, the movie tells the story of two young people, Xia Yinuo and Ouyang Chenze, who start their own clothing brand and develop feelings for each as their business grows. However, the movie has not been heavily promoted, and confidence in its success seems to be low.