COLUMBIA, Md. (AP) 鈥� A group of Chinese people decided they wanted the nation's biggest movie to be big in the United States, literally. So they made it really big.
And therein lies a story.
On a recent Saturday afternoon, more than 100 people gathered at an IMAX screening room in a movie theater outside Baltimore. Many were Chinese students and young professionals nearby, parents took their kids, some of whom dressed as the movie's main characters. Men and women wore Chinese traditional outfits. People lined up to sign their names onto a Chinese scroll and get tickets styled like traditional Chinese paintings. Some posed for pictures with red-tasseled spears and swords.
The screening was organized by volunteers among the Chinese community in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area. 鈥淣e Zha 2,鈥� the movie they came to see, is a Chinese film that replaced 鈥淚nside Out 2鈥� as at around $2 billion.
You might never have heard of 鈥淣e Zha 2,鈥� though. It is not a big hit internationally. And that's exactly what the people behind the screening want to change.
An ancient character gets a new treatment
In China, Ne Zha is a well-known traditional fairy character, a child god-general in heaven and also a naughty boy, who was introduced in a story called 鈥淐reation of the Gods鈥� written about 400 years ago.
Sun Bohan, a 27-year-old student in Baltimore, wanted to watch the movie on IMAX. The problem? Every IMAX was playing 鈥淐aptain America: Brave New World,鈥� which premiered on the same day. He asked around and learned the only option would be to rent a theater and pay for the showing at the IMAX. But Sun couldn鈥檛 afford that on his own. So he posted on ; he also started a group on WeChat, China's most popular messaging platform.
More than 100 people joined his effort and supported it in different capacities.
Raye Xia, a lover of manga, anime and games who had already watched the movie four times, saw Sun鈥檚 post and reached out. She spent hours painting a special ticket for the screening that depicted Ne Zha sitting on a dragon under the iconic Washington cherry blossom trees near the Jefferson Memorial.
鈥淚t is really rare to see such events in a small town. I love that I'm helping in my own way,鈥� said Xia, who cosplayed as a movie character at the event.
Hoff Xu, a student in Baltimore, stayed up until 3 a.m. the night before and made her own outfit with copper wire, binder clips and old clothes.
鈥淚t is not an easy thing for everyone to get together, so I thought I would love to add some effect and vibe to this immersive experience," Xu said.
Audience members love the cosplay outfits and lined up to take photos with those dressed up.
鈥淎s a Chinese, I am really proud to see a Chinese movie as the only one among the top 10 of something,鈥� said Zhao Yuanyuan, who brought her son Jiang Wei'en, 7, to see the movie together for the second time, 鈥淚 hope he can be exposed to and carry on Chinese traditional culture and not forget his own roots.鈥�
A Chinese grassroots effort on American screens
The communal experience of seeing the movie 鈥� and, in particular, the community built by advocating its showing 鈥� can help Chinese people in the U.S. make in-person connections in the post-pandemic era. That's particularly true for a movie some feel isn't getting its rightful attention globally.
In the U.S., the gatherings reflect the anxiety among the Chinese community under the increasing institutionalized hostility toward immigrants, especially after President returned to office, says Belinda He, an assistant professor of Sinophone cinema and media studies at the University of Maryland.
鈥淭he emotional connection could purely outweigh the aesthetic impact and shock that the movie itself brings to them,鈥� He said. 鈥淭he more severe the institutionalized and structural exclusion here, the more people need to strive for some possibilities through real connections and a sense of belongings."
Sun wasn't the only one with the idea. Other Chinese living in the U.S. have organized theater rentals in Indianapolis, Boston and New York City.
Ma Ruoyuan, 31, who works in finance, worked with a friend to organize two screenings that drew a total of 600 people to watch the movie in New York. Ma says participants were highly involved in organizing the events, from seat booking to checking tickets. They even practiced democratic voting in the chat group so people could pick their preferences on the pricing system.
The movie鈥檚 rare access to an IMAX screen, Ma believes, is what 鈥渂rought everyone together."
IMAX Corp., headquartered in the Toronto area, said the high demand for IMAX screens means it requires studios booking months ahead, if not a year. The company said 鈥淣e Zha 2鈥� was shown on 80 screens for one day on Feb. 12 and expanded to 110 screens after 鈥淐aptain America鈥� ended.
鈥淚MAX created opportunities to play 鈥楴e Zha 2鈥� across its network in the United States, while honoring its earlier commitments to other releases," the company said in a written statement.
Within China, 鈥淣e Zha 2鈥� is considered a patriotic movie. Media reports say internet celebrities, private companies and Chinese authorities organized special screenings for their followers and staff.
Earlier this month, all police officers from a court in the east coast province of Shandong were dispatched to watch the movie 鈥渢o strengthen their belief in the rule of law and draw strength for progress,鈥� the court said on its official Wechat account.
Sichuan, a province in China's west, helped to fund the movie as part of a program using art projects to alleviate poverty. Media reports say the film's producers received 15 million yuan ($2.1 million) from the Sichuan provincial government. CMC Pictures, the international production company that produced the movie, refused to comment.
For Sun, who stayed up the night before the screening in Maryland to bake cookies for the audience, the whole experience was an object lesson in collaboration among people who are making their way outside their own society.
鈥淚 started as just one person, but people with different skills all came to help," he said after the screening. 鈥淚t was worth it.鈥�
Fu Ting, The Associated Press
