Chinese Arthouse Film Resurrection Tops Domestic Box Office in Surprise Victory

Bi Gan’s new film Resurrection opened at number one in China. It earned a strong $16.5 million over the weekend. This is a rare win for an arthouse movie in the local market.

The film previously won a special prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Its success beat two major holdover films. According to Artisan Gateway, this performance is highly unusual for a non-commercial work.

A Familiar Pattern of Arthouse Success

This is not the director’s first box office surprise. His 2019 film, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, opened to $37.9 million in a single day. That film’s marketing, however, led to some viewer backlash.

Resurrection‘s debut proves Gan has a loyal fanbase. It shows artistic films can still find an audience in China. Ticketing app Maoyan now projects a final total of at least $30 million domestically.

The film stars Jackson Yee and Shu Qi. It tells the story of a spectral entity called “the Phantasm.” The entity journeys across time through different cinematic styles.

What Resurrection’s Success Means for Chinese Cinema

The victory signals a healthy diversity in audience taste. It occurs in a market often dominated by commercial blockbusters and nationalistic stories. This provides a hopeful sign for other ambitious filmmakers in the region.

The film’s structure is built around the six senses. It is both a sensory experience and a meditation on cinema itself. The Hollywood Reporter’s review from Cannes praised it as a “paean to the big screen.”

The strong opening for Resurrection confirms a viable path for artistically daring cinema. This Chinese arthouse box office performance is a landmark event. It offers a compelling narrative of creative vision finding its audience.

Thought you’d like to know

What is the movie Resurrection about?

The film follows a spectral entity journeying through time. It explores different cinematic genres and styles. The narrative is structured around the six human senses.

Who directed Resurrection?

The film was directed by acclaimed Chinese auteur Bi Gan. He is also known for his 2019 film *Long Day’s Journey Into Night*. Gan is celebrated for his stylized, dreamlike filmmaking.

How did Resurrection perform at the Cannes Film Festival?

The film premiered at Cannes in May to critical acclaim. It won a special prize from the festival’s official jury. This success helped build significant buzz ahead of its commercial release.

What other films did it beat at the box office?

It outperformed the popular anime sequel *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle*. It also beat the Lionsgate thriller *Now You See Me: Now You Don’t*. Both were in their second weekend of release.

Will Resurrection be released in the United States?

Yes, the distributor Janus Films has acquired North American rights. The current US release date is set for December 12 of this year. This will allow international audiences to see the film.