"Ne Zha 2" premieres in Hungary as part of Chinese film week
BUDAPEST, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" premiered in the Hungarian capital of Budapest on Thursday night as part of the "Imazsia Chinese film week 2025." The screening, presented in Mandarin with English subtitles, sold out within hours of the box office opening.
"The fact that all tickets for today's screening sold out in less than three hours shows that the success of Chinese cinema extends far beyond China's borders and is generating increasing international interest," said Victoria Varadi, chief organizer of the film week.
"It is a great honor for us that this cinematic sensation could be brought to Hungary for the first time through the Imazsia Chinese Film Week," she added.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao spoke about the development of cultural ties within bilateral cooperation, saying that he expects the two sides "will continue to deepen cooperation in the field of film."
Members of the audience at the premiere expressed their appreciation for the movie.
Anna Matus, a 22-year-old medical student from Szeged, attended with her brother. "I really, really liked the film. I loved the visuals, the characters, the plot twists -- everything, really," she told Xinhua after the screening.
"As for my favorite character, I think it's the main character," she said. "I really enjoyed his development throughout the film."
Orsolya Racz, a 24-year-old student of the Chinese language, highlighted the animation's appeal to audiences familiar with animated films. "The film was really great. I watch a lot of animated films myself, so I really loved the animation and the drawing style -- how they brought out the elements in the film and the fight scenes, that was all very impressive to me."
Chris, a German engineering student currently based in Budapest, also praised the film, saying, "It was really, really interesting to see another culture."
Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, "Ne Zha 2" was crafted over five years by a team of 4,000 animators and has since become the world's highest-grossing animated film.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Staging the afterlife: A play that dares to talk about death
THE cast of If There Is an Afterlife, I Hope It's Your Version Instead of Mine will insist they're not particularly close. They'll laugh it off with jokes and playful teasing if you suggest otherwise, but spend five minutes in their company, and the truth reveals itself. There's an unspoken intimacy in the way they move around each other, finish each other's sentences and share easy, knowing laughter. It's the kind of bond forged by people who've walked through fire and recognised the same burn marks on others. The play, which returned to the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre recently, follows Sofia, a skeptical Malay woman wrestling with her faith while caring for her devout, cancer-stricken mother. Three years after her mother's death, grief resurfaces when childhood friends are confronted with a family crisis of their own. Writer-director Asyraf Syahir, better known as Acap, drew from his own experience of losing his mother three years ago. Clad in all black with the quiet intensity of someone well-acquainted with life, death, and the occasional black metal lyric, he speaks with clarity and conviction about his casting choices. "I find people with real experiences," begins the 33-year-old, adding: "Technical stuff can be taught. Real emotions have to come from within." That philosophy drives every choice. Myrra Baity Khan, 31, who plays Sofia, knows grief intimately. Her father died when she was five, followed by her grandparents. "I didn't cry for 18 years," she shares. Of mixed Pakistani, Arab, Malay and Chinese heritage, she spent her youth "shape-shifting to fit in" and her hunger for connection drives her performance. "When I was 17, I wrote a monologue that made this girl cry. We're still friends today. That's exactly what I want — connection," she adds, expression earnest. Leon Khoo, 27, known as LeonieTunez, recalls his first time reading the script. "It got me in tears," he admits, adding: "I was transitioning from who I was before to who I am now." Hailing from a conservative background, the stage became a form of liberation. "On stage, I get to play. Maybe one day, that'll manifest in real life," he says, voice low. For Alya Amani, a 27-year-old public relations executive and model, identity has always been complicated. Half Chinese, half Malay, she grew up feeling like she was never enough of either. "I fit everywhere but belonged nowhere," she shares. It was on stage that she finally found a place to call her own. Inspired by Glee and High School Musical, Alya has grown from chasing validation to chasing impact. "If they laugh, cry or get angry — as long as they feel something, I've done my job." Errie Woo, a clinical hypnotherapist and aerial yoga instructor, takes on the role of the mother. She first discovered theatre through workshops, and her experience working with cancer patients gave her a deeper connection to the story. "My first performance felt like a calling," confides the 47-year-old, adding: "Audiences tell us this is their story too." What sets this production apart is its willingness to confront questions of faith openly — and from a place of uncertainty. These are people who have wrestled with their own beliefs, not to dismiss them, but out of genuine curiosity and a need to understand. "There are so few safe spaces in Malaysia to talk about faith through doubt," says Myrra, adding: "When I saw a project with this kind of bravery, I was like, 'hell yeah!'" For Acap, he knew that he had to approach the subject with care, choosing to explore faith broadly rather than focus on a specific religion. "It would've been a problem narrowing it to just one, so we have two running in parallel," he explains. And asked what was his biggest hurdle? He doesn't miss a beat. "Money," he confides, before adding wryly: "It's all self-funded." SHARED HEALING Through this play, healing has taken on a new meaning for its cast. Leon describes it as "returning to your truest self, becoming better in every way." For Alya, it's about "learning to accept both the good and the bad." Myrra adds: "Most Malaysian families don't talk about someone once they're gone. And that silence keeps us from grieving, from healing." For audiences carrying their own losses, the production offers no easy comfort. "We want to show nuance," they say, continuing: "That it's okay to feel angry, to feel unhinged. Grief is messy — it doesn't follow a straight line." The cast hold different beliefs about what comes next. Errie believes in reunion. Acap quietly admits he thinks we simply cease to exist. Leon is more matter-of-fact: "I'd rather not think about it. I just want to live now." Yet within this work, they've built a space where those conflicting truths can sit side by side. Because when someone you love is gone, and they believed in peace beyond this life, maybe it's enough to hope they were right. That their version of the afterlife exists, even if it isn't yours. And sometimes, that fragile, imagined possibility is its own kind of peace. This isn't sugar-coated reassurance. It's an embrace. A quiet, unflinching reminder: we get it. It hurts. But you don't have to carry it alone.
Borneo Post
a day ago
- Borneo Post
From Shandong to Spain: Chinese martial arts inspire cross-cultural exchange
Zhang (right) teaching a foreign student martial arts in Longkou City, east China's Shandong Province. – Xinhua photo JINAN (June 7): In a classroom at the Confucius Institute of the University of Granada, in Spain, a group of Spanish students mirrored their teacher's martial arts movements: holding horse stance, jabbing with controlled force, and retracting elbows in fluid arcs. Leading them was Zhang Daojin, an inheritor of Six Harmony Praying Mantis boxing, which is a Kung Fu style originating from Shandong Province in east China. Zhang recently concluded a two-week cultural exchange programme in Spain, sharing Chinese Kung Fu with martial arts enthusiasts from Spain and other European countries through lectures and training sessions. 'Chinese Kung Fu is much more than a way to get fit. It's rich with cultural and philosophical significance,' said Alejandro Romero, a 43-year-old instructor who started his martial arts journey at 15. 'It's woven into my daily routine. I've found myself growing stronger, both physically and mentally.' Six Harmony Praying Mantis boxing is celebrated for its unique blend of strength and gentleness. It focuses on internal and external training and reflects traditional Chinese beliefs about the balance between humanity and nature. In addition to Six Harmony Praying Mantis boxing, Zhang also introduced Tai Chi and Qigong, sparking engaging conversations about martial arts, wellness and the richness of traditional Chinese culture. 'The Spanish students are passionate, hardworking and adaptable to different cultures,' Zhang remarked. 'Some have even made the journey to Shandong several times to deepen their Kung Fu practice. Their commitment is truly inspiring.' Alejandro Alvarez, 45, has studied under Zhang since 2009 and runs a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Granada. 'Kung Fu has transformed my life,' he said. 'It has not only strengthened my body but also enriched my spirit and mind.' Martial arts enthusiasts from China and Spain participating in a martial arts exchange event at the University of Granada in Spain. – Xinhua photo As martial arts continue to grow in popularity in Spain, more and more enthusiasts are traveling to China for training, and some have even established martial arts schools in Spain. Zhang has made several trips to Spain since receiving his first Spanish student in 2006, during which time he has shared his knowledge with thousands of students of all ages. This growing interest reflects Spain's trend toward wellness practices that blend physical fitness with mental health, as martial arts strengthen the body and foster emotional connections. Bu Shan, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Granada, said that Spain is now home to over a hundred martial arts schools, and many practitioners travel to China for studies every year. She believes martial arts promote mutual understanding and provide a glimpse into Chinese culture. During traditional Chinese festivals like the Spring Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, martial arts performances have become a bonding activity connecting local and Chinese communities, even 'a bridge for cultural exchange', Bu added. The Confucius Institute at the university is preparing for a martial arts festival in Spain and plans to send a delegation to a competition in Shandong later this year. Isabel María Balsas Ureña, the Spanish director of the institute, said martial arts transcend physical techniques. 'It's a philosophical practice,' she explained. 'It instills values like respect and sharing, ultimately teaching us how to live harmoniously with one another. 'The principles found in Chinese Kung Fu resonate profoundly across different cultures.' – Xinhua China martial arts Spain Xinhua
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
77 pct of Russian internet users have played video games: survey
MOSCOW, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A recent survey conducted by the Russian government-owned research center VCIOM found that 77 percent of active internet users in Russia have played video games, reflecting a more widespread global trend. As of 2025, the global gaming community has expanded to around 3.32 billion players, showing a significant rise from previous years. In fact, video gaming has become an increasingly popular hobby for both the younger and older generations. Of the 77 percent of Russians who have played video games, 44 percent consider themselves active players, while 33 percent say they used to play but no longer do. This shows that while gaming is widespread, almost half of the respondents continue to play on a daily basis. In Russia, gaming is predominantly favored by men and younger adults, especially those that are financially stable. In contrast, women, older adults and those with lower incomes tend to have less gaming experience. A distinctive feature of the Russian gaming landscape is the fact that personal computers remain the most popular gaming platform. The findings of the poll show that 82 percent of gamers use a computer or laptop to play games. A total of 63 percent of the respondents use mobile phones, while 27 percent use tablets, and 27 percent consoles. Russian mobile games are also becoming more popular among the population. The number of transactions on RuStore, Russia's official application store, has nearly doubled over the past year, with 60 percent of payments linked to domestic games, Ilya Ulyanov, the director of business development at RuStore, told Russian media Izvestia. The improvement of the quality of games, the growth of the diversity of in-game content and the development of convenient payment methods are causing the growth of its domestic games, said Ulyanov, the income of Russian indie developers in RuStore increased four times in the first quarter of 2025 from the same period last year. Although fewer people use consoles than mobile phones, console gaming remains a promising sector. For those Russians that do use consoles, they note that they offer a way to unwind and spend time with family and friends. PlayStation remains the most popular console, according to the report.
