Chinese film 2009

It is indisputable that 2009 was a year when China's film industry grew at a never-before-seen rate, at least in terms of box office results and film quantity. However, the growth in such factors has not necessarily translated to an improvement in quality. In fact, most film critics agree that 2009 has witnessed some of the worst works in the country's film history, an unhealthy trend that could result in dragging the entire industry down.

In retrospect, it seems that 2009 was all about breaking records. The gross annual box office is expected to reach 6 billion yuan ($87.84 million), up almost 40 percent on last year's 4.6 billion yuan ($67.34 million), a significant increase, rare in any part of the world. A record number of 450 films were made and screened on the Chinese mainland, while the record box office of a single feature film was set by The Founding of a Republic with 420 million yuan ($61.488 million).