Highly anticipated 'The Bravest' debuts with stories of firefighters
By Sun Qingzhao, Yang Yan
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01:51

The Chinese movie market is getting hotter, as the summer vacation gets into full swing. "The Bravest," one of the most anticipated films this summer, is now in theaters across the country. 

"The Bravest" is based on real-life stories of firefighters.

Starring Huang Xiaoming, Du Jiang and Tan Zhuo, the film by Hong Kong director Tony Chan hit domestic theaters on Thursday.

The film is adapted from ethnic Mongolian author Bao'erji Yuanye's non-fiction book "Tears Are the Deepest Water," which documents firefighters' efforts to put out a fire caused by an oil pipeline explosion at a port in Dalian, in northeast China's Liaoning Province. 

"The Bravest" has a preview screening in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, July 30, 2019. /VCG Photo

"The Bravest" has a preview screening in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, July 30, 2019. /VCG Photo

The actors had to undergo special firefighting training before filming.

Many who watched the film say they are deeply touched by firefighters' courage, and the film captures their real-life stories.

With a revenue of more than 170 million yuan, or 25 million U.S. dollars, so far, "The Bravest" is set to rival the box-office earnings for Ne Zha, the current domestic topper. 

 

The cast of the film "The Bravest" attend the preview screening in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, July 30, 2019. /VCG Photo

The cast of the film "The Bravest" attend the preview screening in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, July 30, 2019. /VCG Photo

The animated film "Ne Zha" has become another hit at the Chinese mainland box office. 

It has raked in nearly 1.47 billion yuan, or 220 million U.S. dollars, becoming the highest-grossing domestic animated film. 

Ne Zha is a beloved Chinese mythical figure, but the film features a daring overhaul of Ne Zha's appearance and depicts him more as a mischievous boy instead of the young hero in previous cinematic works. 

Meanwhile, many domestic films are also gearing up to appeal to youngsters. The parenting-themed "Looking Up" is one of them.