The true story of a rag tag group of 800 Chinese soldiers' face off against the juggernaut Japanese army in a small warehouse in Shanghai. China's very own epic akin to the West's Battle of Thermopylae. Throw in a famed director, Guan Hu, and dazzling special effects for good measure. However, the movie, "The Eight Hundred," was delayed over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic has forced many movies like Disney's "Onward", Tom Hank's "Greyhound" and horror hit "The Invisible Man" to go straight to online streaming, "The Eight Hundred" waited for the big screen treatment. CGTN Host Tian Wei speaks to filmmakers and critics from China and the U.S. to navigate the global film industry emerging from a pandemic-induced hibernation.

The trend of online streaming was already cutting into the market of movie theaters even prior to the pandemic. Ben Ji, film producer and former executive at Warner Brothers and Disney, says, "The pandemic outbreak was a fatal strike to the film business. 

Because of the pandemic, more film fans are watching movies online. It has accelerated competition from the streaming business and has a potential impact on the traditional screenings in cinemas." Although Chinese and American TV series were released unhindered on the small screen, "The Eight Hundred" with its IMAX camera cinematography represents movies that demand the big screen. Ji says, it's a good choice for "The Eight Hundred" to be released as cinemas are just reopening.

"For eight months we stayed at home and watched TV. But this movie experience cannot be replaced by watching webisodes and online variety shows. You need to have this movie-going experience to laugh and cry with strangers. "The Eight Hundred" is a tent-pole movie that is big enough with its all star cast. I believe it is very effective to attract the audience back to cinemas." 

China's reopening of cinemas on July 20th was one of the first in the world, even if that did entail social distancing. These lower capacity cinemas are still important for movies like "The Eight Hundred." Ji adds that it aids the immersive experience, "It is great to see reopening theaters. When I went to see "The Eight Hundred" every other seat was empty. It's great I don't have to hear annoying chit-chat." 

The large budget is also a factor for "The Eight Hundred" in choosing to release on the big screen as opposed to video-on-demand. "Mulan" has delayed its release many times to ensure that it has a theatrical release that recoups production costs. 

"Mulan," which boasts Chinese filming locations and Chinese actors, has announced that it will be aired on Disney+ in the U.S. and on the big screen in China. The different methods of airing "Mulan" by jurisdiction may be representative of releasing movies amid the pandemic. Ji says, "Mulan" is using a smart strategy by airing on Disney+. "It's not just about the pandemic. Disney is trying to out-compete other streaming players. It is setting Disney+ with a big product to promote its website. It's very good timing."

China can set an example for the rest of the world in reopening cinemas. Joanne Cheung, international film critic and filmmaker says, "The U.S. is about a month behind China. We have been closed for six months. People are very skeptical. We don't know whether the audience will go back to the cinema. But based on the performance in China, I am optimistic. China is becoming the world's No. 1 market." 

Although movies filmed in 2019 and early 2020 await a release date, Teng Jimeng, freelance cultural commentator, points to another problem looming over filmmaking, "Due to the pandemic, filmmakers, writers and directors can't meet to create new potential content. I worked with one director who has a beautiful script but with no one to turn to. Financiers are hiding behind doors. Hiding from the pandemic."

Although online platforms may have helped tide over the most severe periods of the pandemic, a strong box office showing is key to getting the film industry back in business. 

World Insight with Tian Wei is an international platform for debate and intelligent discussion. It is the meeting point of both the highly influential and rising voices, facilitated by host Tian Wei. It provides nutrition to form your own thoughts and ideas through a 45-minute live debate and interviews.

Schedule: Monday-Saturday

Time (GMT): 1415, 2015

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)