by Xinhua writer Zhang Yunlong

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The robust Qingming Festival holiday box office performance bodes well for driving audiences to cinemas in the run-up to the much-anticipated May Day holiday period, one of the year's biggest for moviegoing in China.

China's box office over the three-day holiday from April 4-6 grossed a record 841 million yuan (about 118.54 million U.S. dollars), topping the previous high of 822 million yuan set in 2021, according to figures from Chinese box office tracking services.

Japanese animated film "The Boy and the Heron" led with 390 million yuan, followed by Hollywood's "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" at 237 million yuan.

March and April are typically a relatively quiet period between the Spring Festival and May Day holidays. But this year bucked the trend with a strong lineup of imported titles resonating with audiences and propelling new box office highs.

This demonstrates the breadth and vibrancy of China's film market and provides a confidence boost as the industry consolidates its recovery momentum, according to industry observers.

Hayao Miyazaki's "The Boy and the Heron" first hit theaters in Japan in July 2023 before going on to win numerous awards, including a Golden Globe and an Oscar.

Sparking intense buzz on Chinese social media, it had amassed an impressive user rating of 8.0 out of 10 on review platform Douban even prior to its April 3 opening in Chinese mainland cinemas.

The film, exploring how a 12-year-old boy grapples with his mother's death through a fantastical journey, resonated thematically with the Qingming tomb-sweeping holiday, said Chen Xuguang, director of Peking University's Institute of Film, Television and Theatre. Miyazaki's enormous popularity in China also drove the film's standout performance, he added.

As of Monday morning, "The Boy and the Heron" had grossed over 521 million yuan to become Miyazaki's highest-grossing release ever in China, surpassing 2019's "Spirited Away" at 488 million yuan, according to film data platform Maoyan. Notably, the film's Chinese theatrical receipts have outstripped its box office in Japan.

Premiering on March 29, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" continued its strong run through the holiday, bringing its China total to 665 million yuan.

The screening slate for the five-day May Day holiday starting May 1 is a crowded field. A diverse array of local films like the peacekeeping mission-themed film "Formed Police Unit," romantic drama "I Love You, to the Moon, and Back," and comedy thriller "Nothing Can't Be Undone by a HotPot," as well as imported titles, such as Miyazaki's 2004 classic "Howl's Moving Castle" and Japanese animated comedy "Spy x Family Code: White," are set to join the fray on May 1 or April 30, according to the latest schedule on platforms Maoyan and Beacon.

Upcoming titles before April 30 include crime thriller "In Broad Daylight," fantasy comedy "Woof Woof Daddy," drama "Battle" and American documentary "Kim's Video."

"Cinema-going has become an integral part of how Chinese people spend their holidays," said Chen. He expects the May Day break to deliver continued solid growth at the box office.

As long as the story connects, any film, big or small, local or imported, can win over audiences, said Dong Wenxin, a film industry observer and theater manager, calling China an opportunity-rich market. ■