'So Long, My Son': Chinese sage film faces challenges at the box office

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The epic drama "So Long, My Son", the winner of the Silver Bear Awards for Best Actor and Actress at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, was released in China last Friday. Despite many positive reviews, the Chinese film is not doing as well as expected at the box office.

By the end of Tuesday, "So Long, My Son" grossed about 4.9 million US dollars at the box office, ranking fourth place among the seven films released on the same day.

Though the film received a high rating of 8 out of 10 on China's film review site Douban, insiders say it could still experience a hard time due to limited moviegoers.

ZHANG JIAXING, BUSINESS MANAGER UME, SHUANGJING, BEIJING "Compared with some other blockbusters that would be accepted by people of all ages, the film has a limited Chinese audience. They are those who went through China's 1970s and 1980s, which is also the time period in which the film's story takes place."

"So Long, My Son" tells the story of a young couple, played by Wang Jingchun and Yong Mei.

Their lives are turned upside down by the death of their son, their only child under China's then one-child policy and by the market reforms, which cost them their jobs.

The two lead actors give a powerful portrayal of humans bowed by the weight of having lived a life full of painful experiences, and reveal at the end an almost saintly capacity for forgiveness and reconciliation.

MOVIEGOER "I love the film because it recalls some good memories for me. I grew up in the same era the film is set in, and we went through some ups and downs during that time. After watching the film, I feel we should cherish our good life today."

MOVIEGOER "In the 1980s, we also experienced the same mishaps or obstacles as in the film. The story it tells was just like the things that happened around us."

The film also has to deal with the gloomy movie market at this time of year.

ZHANG JIAXING, BUSINESS MANAGER UME, SHUANGJING, BEIJING "March and April are usually the off-season for the Chinese film market, especially after the Spring Festival holiday, when people are busy working. Fewer films will be released during the two months, which has led to a reduced number of moviegoers."

Besides the market issues, "So Long, My Son" could still face a tough time, especially as it is going up against Hollywood blockbusters, like "Captain Marvel" and the Oscar-winning films "Green Book" and "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Some say the film's over three-hour-long runtime may also have a negative impact on its ticket sales.

But during a press conference, Wang Xiaoshuai, the director of the film, said he has great confidence in the film's intense plot, adding it will lead audiences to feel that the three hours go by in a flash.

And indeed the film has already captured the hearts of moviegoers, as many say they couldn't hold back tears at certain points during the touching story. Though it is facing tough challenges at the box office, many viewers regarded it as one of the best domestic films released so far this year after watching it themselves. CGTN.