Empathize with people

According to Huangfu, Jia is an excellent artist and has an exceptional ability to observe, empathize and mimic aspects of everyday life. When she creates, she delves deeply into the lives of ordinary people.

"YOLO may not be a great movie by many standards, but people are willing to buy tickets to see it," he said. "That's why I had very high expectations even before the movie hit the screens."

Huangfu said the most impressive thing about Jia is how she effortlessly guides and portrays the character of Du Leying as the director and leading actress.

"I'm truly impressed by the surge of female filmmakers and women-centered narratives in Chinese cinema lately. I believe that China will see significant development in this regard in the future," he said.

The box-office triumph of YOLO also mirrors a paradigm shift in audience preference — from formulaic individual success stories to narratives focusing on personal growth and transformation. This change in aesthetic taste underscores China's societal development and evolving priorities, Huangfu said.

The way a few other movies performed during the Spring Festival season further highlights this shift in preference.

For example, Han Han's Pegasus 2, which has ranked second this season with 2.4 billion yuan in box-office earnings, is fairly conventional, neither cutting-edge nor overly cliched, but it has resonated with the audiences because it draws inspiration from the journey called life.

"For me what's most interesting is the beat-up car, which symbolizes a spirit. When it finally crosses the finishing line, all entrepreneurs …and ordinary people get a sense of the arduous journey of life," Huangfu said.

Zhang Yimou's Article 20, which grossed 1.3 billion yuan, mirrors a type of social psychology — that contemporary society can ultimately change through the collective efforts of many different people.

"This film displays a genuine cultural confidence, showing that our society is progressing," Huangfu said. "How legal articles are created is closely related to real life. As an art form, the film displays the creator's courage."

Apart from the social issues it focuses on, Article 20 also shows how an ordinary man, smart and hardworking, an opportunist sometimes, summons his courage to pursue justice. "A good portrait of the greatness of ordinary people," he said.

In addition to stories and themes, Huangfu emphasized the role innovation plays in making these films successful.

"Judging by the Spring Festival seasons in recent years, we can tell that what audiences dislike the most is 'following the trend' without innovation and creativity, which is the essence of art," he said, adding that directors Jia, Zhang and Han have been exploring new frontiers in their filmmaking, in order to reach more audiences.

Speaking of the challenges brought by the fast development of AI, Huangfu said "there's nothing to panic about" as it is "an inevitable progression of technological advancement in historical development".

"Technological advancement provides infinite possibilities that can inspire creators' imagination, so I see it as a tremendous opportunity, providing Chinese cinema a chance to overtake on the bend," he said. "We only need to make good use of an important tool."

Huangfu suggested that China could conduct more research on digital technology applications in the film industry and regulate the applications through legislation.

Wang, from CCTV, couldn't agree more. "You can't stop the advancement of AI. It's (happening) right before our eyes, but there's no need to worry. The application of AI is a must for the growth of the global film industry," he said.

During the two sessions, Wang submitted a proposal to "vigorously promote the role of artificial intelligence in building a powerhouse in the film industry".

Fostering a favorable atmosphere and promoting the construction of a powerhouse in the film industry require innovative application of new concepts, technologies and methods, he wrote in the proposal.