Global Times: Opening of new cinemas in China's borderlands builds connections through power of film

BEIJING, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At 4pm, the first cinema in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in Kashi Prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region opened at the appointed time. The cleaner had already swept both screening rooms, and the ticket seller - hired by the manager He Xinyu due to the ability to speak both Tajik and Putonghua - was prepared to welcome local filmgoers from various ethnic groups.

The county, which is situated over 4,000 meters above sea level on the eastern edge of the Pamir Plateau and borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, as well as Tajikistan, opened its first cinema around two months ago. He told the Global Times that since the arrival of the China Film South Cinema, local residents can enjoy the latest blockbusters from around the world simultaneously with moviegoers across the country.

Thousands of miles away, residents of Medog County - hidden deep in the southeastern valleys of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region — are increasingly familiar with buying movie tickets online since the opening of the first cinema in late April. The "highway" to the world of film was completed more than a decade after the first real highway reached the county.

From mobile film screenings to advanced and comfortable modern cinemas, the improvement of viewing conditions in these borderlands reflects the overall development of China's film industry during its journey of 120 years. Manager He can feel that for local residents, the cinema is more than a venue for entertainment - it is a space for connections and inspiration.

"The cinema and these films screening, simultaneously with other places offer local residents a sense of belonging to a larger world and a fresh feeling of appreciating cultural products, which mean a lot," said He.

A bridge through screens

Before the opening of cinemas, one of the local audience's main ways of watching movies was to wait for the mobile film screening team to bring new films to them.

Zhang Beiyan, an engineer at the Ili Film Company in Xinjiang, has been involved in rural film screenings since 2009. He shared with the Global Times that film screenings in the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture take place about 12 times a year, often concentrating during farming off seasons, with each screening attracting 30 to 50 viewers on average.

During his career, Zhang has often captured the enthusiasm of rural residents to film screenings. "They really enjoy watching movies, which have become an important part of their cultural and entertainment life," he said. According to Zhang, viewers like watching Chinese blockbusters, particularly those released during the Spring Festival holidays, such as the Wandering Earth series. Locals are also fond of films related to their hometowns. For instance, movies set in Xinjiang like Pegasus 2 are popular. But they prefer blockbusters, as they offer a window to diverse cultures.

To respond to such enthusiasm and provide a better experience for enjoying movies, the cinemas have been built through the support of local authorities.

On its opening day, the cinema in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County hosted screenings of films like Ne Zha 2 and Detective Chinatown 1900. Residents of all ages eagerly filled hundreds of seats in two halls, many experiencing the magic of a big-screen movie for the first time.

The cinema's manager said that the moviegoers are mostly young people who find their interest in the film genres through social media, and like the youth in other places, the most popular film in the recent past has still been the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2.

"After watching the movie at our cinema, these young audiences can have topics of conversation on the content of the work and the feelings of watching it at cinemas with their friends or on social media platforms. This is one of their major motivations to come here," He noted.

Zhang Peng, a film researcher and associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, told the Global Times on Monday that the cinemas provide a comfortable environment and high-quality audio-visual experiences, attracting residents to watch movies. Meanwhile, the diverse and rich film content enhances residents' cultural literacy and aesthetic appreciation, increases social opportunities and promotes cultural exchange.

The emergence of these cinemas can further stimulate the enthusiasm of residents in watching films. Improved viewing conditions, abundant film resources and the fulfillment of cultural needs encourage local residents to be more willing to visit cinemas, according to Zhang.

As audiences said when stepping out of the cinema, now they can watch the latest blockbusters right at their doorstep. Having a cinema in the county is really convenient.

Challenges and responses

Yet, the sustainability of running these cinemas remains a key question. How can these initiatives continue to thrive in the long term with a series of challenges such as a smaller population in these rural areas, tough natural condition, and diverse cultural backgrounds of different ethnic groups?

Operators like He have been considering more practical methods to deal with these challenges.

Besides the current blockbusters, He's cinema has also reintroduced classic films like Visitors on the Icy Mountain, which resonate deeply with the region's history and cultural identity.

"Thanks to the support of the film group, they agreed on the free screenings of some classic movies," said He.

Another cinema in the frontier township of Lhunze county, Shannan prefecture in Xizang, which officially opened in late May 2024, also selected some films full of local characteristics such as My Himalaya for screening, according to Guangming Daily.

These cinemas' efforts to tailor its programming to local tastes and cultural traditions reveal a groundbreaking approach to enhance the local's cultural engagement.

SOURCE Global Times