Love stories are no doubt the favorite movie genre in China in terms of ticket sales especially during the annual golden period. Statistics show that one-third of more than 70 films that will be screened during the holidays are romantic.
It has been proven that this season surrounding Christmas, New Year and Spring Festival is the most profitable time for movie people to earn heaps of money at the box office.
"Love in the Clouds," a feature-length romantic comedy by Oscar-nominated director Gu Changwei premiered on Christmas Eve. This movie that targets young audiences follows the story of a screenwriter who fell in love with a model in a social networking site.
"Love in the Clouds" is Gu's first mainstream comedy film in his career as a filmmaker which spans 30 years. The 57-year-old director known for his avant-garde films such as "Peacock" (2005) hopes the movie will inspire struggling city people not to lose hope in life.
Gu said that all the characters in the film are chasing their dreams and hoping for a better tomorrow. He also added that although it is a comedy, people will cry in the right moments.
Another movie, this time an adaptation of a Taiwanese bestseller, "Women Who Flirt" grossed 200 million yuan ($32.3 million) since its initial screening three weeks ago. Directed by Hong kong filmmaker Pang Ho-cheung, the movie follows a woman who wants to win back her man by being more desirable.
"Miss Granny," a remake of the hit Korean romantic film, is foreseen to be a box-office blockbuster when it is released in January. The story is about an old woman who transformed into her younger self, giving her a second chance to chase her ambition of becoming a music diva.
"Somewhere Only We Know," a film by Xu Jinglei, is also foreseen as a box-office hit on Valentine's Day. Set in Prague, the movie follows the plight of a young broken-hearted girl who went to Europe where she found her true love.
"Love is eternal," says Zhou Tiedong, a movie researcher. "The pure love theme which surpasses the bonds of classes and ethnicities may not be believed in this era. However, moviegoers will buy love when presented in a comedic form, like 'Women Who Flirt'," he added.