A movie theater in Shanghai Photo: VCG

A total of 14 new films have been set for the Qingming Festival holiday box-office period (April 4 to 6) in China, including the film The Next Storm featuring UFC world champion Zhang Weili in her first lead role. 

"In today's film market, we not only need blockbuster hits like the Ne Zha series to soar, but also a steady stream of smaller, well-crafted films that resonate emotionally with audiences," Zuo Heng, director of the Film Culture Research Department at the China Film Archive, told the Global Times on Monday.

"Only by consistently offering a wider range of genres and higher-quality productions can we cater to the diverse preferences of moviegoers and collectively attract more new audiences to cinemas," he said.

In 2010, Lan, directed by ­Jiang Wenli, was released during the Qingming Festival. It was regarded as China's first film specifically scheduled for this holiday. Over a decade later, Qingming has grown into a well-established box-office period with an increasingly diverse lineup of films, according to the China News Service.

A common theme among several highly anticipated Qingming releases is shedding light on the struggles and emotions of marginalized groups, thus giving a voice to ordinary people.

Many of the most talked-about films this year fall into the category of realism. Examples include We Girls, which explores the reintegration of formerly incarcerated women into society; The Way Out, a dark comedy delving into human nature; Mumu, which focuses on the hearing-impaired community; and The Next Storm, which highlights female resilience.

According to the China News Service, We Girls, directed by Feng Xiaogang and starring Zhao Liying, has generated significant pre-release buzz. The film follows Zhao's character as she takes a desperate risk to buy a 200,000 yuan ($27,590) cochlear implant for her daughter. Along the way, she forms an unexpected bond with her fellow former inmates, as they struggle against social prejudice and seek redemption. This is one of the rare Chinese films in recent years to spotlight the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated women.

Beside We Girls, UFC world champion Zhang Weili makes her screen debut in the new film The Next Storm along with Zhang Zifeng. This time, Zhang Weili is not going to fight as a fighter - she plays a mute fisherwoman.

Besides the 14 new films, it has been announced that Chinese animation Ne Zha 2, which has recently broken into the top 5 at the global box office, is once again extending its theatrical run, this time until April 30, which means it will run through the Qingming Festival holiday box-office period.

Looking back at 2024's ­Qingming Festival box office, two imported films - Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - topped the charts, helping the holiday period reach a record-breaking 842 million yuan in total revenue. This year, the lineup of imported films is notably smaller, only featuring A Minecraft Movie, an adaptation of the popular sandbox game, and the Japanese animated film Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Beginning.

"Today's audience has changed - they are willing to pay for a wide range of cultural products. However, the key is that these products must resonate with them, whether by fulfilling a psychological need or striking an emotional chord," Zuo noted.

As the Qingming Festival box-office period continues to evolve over time, it is gradually transforming from a regular release window into a period for high-quality, thought-provoking films.