英语文摘:Film on China's 1976 earthquake keeps up strong sales

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- A film telling the story of an earthquake that devastated a Chinese city more than three decades ago has raked in 400 million yuan (58.6 million U.S. dollars) in the Chinese mainland as of Sunday, the film's distributors announced Monday.

A statement from Huayi Brothers Media Corporation said more than 10 million tickets had been sold since the July 22 premiere.

On the release day, "Aftershock" took in a record 36.2 million yuan -- the highest ever box office for a mainland movie on its opening day.

"Aftershock" tells the story of a mother's three-decade journey leading to an emotional reunion with the daughter she thought she had lost in the Tangshan earthquake.

Poster of "Aftershock"

The 7.8-magnitude quake hit the northern city on July 28, 1976 killing more than 240,000 people.

Prior to the release, director Feng Xiaogang repeatedly stated that the film's final box office would reach 500 million yuan, a mark no Chinese movie ever achieved.

Though commercially successful with war epic "Assembly" (2007) and period love thriller "The Banquet" (2006), the prolific 52-year-old director is better known for comedies such as "A World Without Thieves" (2004) and "If You Are the One" (2008).

The film, jointly produced by Huayi Brothers, China Film Group and the municipal government of Tangshan, is also the first Chinese movie released in IMAX format.

The film's budget was some 150 million yuan (22 million U.S. dollars), according to officials.

At the popular Chinese art website douban.com, 43,103 users have given the film a respectable rating of 7.5 out of 10, with 21.5 percent rating it full stars.