2 Aug – A total of 950 audiences attended the premiere screening of Malaysian director Tan Chui Mui's film "Barbarian Invasion" at the SFC Dolby Auditorium, Shanghai Film Art Center. "Barbarian Invasion" is a Hong Kong and Malaysia co-production and has received the production funding support by the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS). Tan Chui Mui herself wrote, directed and starred in the movie, which was filmed in Malaysia during the pandemic.
The film was world premiere and won the "Jury Grand Prix" at the 24th Shanghai International Film Festival in 2021. After a two-year wait, it is finally being released in China. This independent and philosophical film promises a refreshing viewing experience this summer. Tan was present at the Shanghai premiere and engaged in the post-screening discussion with the host, Teng Jing-Shu (Film Critic), Zouzou (Writer), Wang Yinli (Associate Professor from the Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University), and Dr. Zhang Yiyun (Psychologist).
During the Q&A session, an 11-year-old young fan's comment also caused a sensation in the audience, after saying, "This film has a similar mind-boggling feeling like Nolan's movies." Tan will be going on an 11-city road tour, that includes Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Xi'an, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Chongqing. "Barbarian Invasion" is set to be released in China's cinemas during this super competitive summer season on 10 August. This year's summer box office in China (from 1 June to 31 August) is experiencing a remarkable surge. According to Maoyan, as of 29 July, the total domestic box office (including pre-sales) for the summer season has exceeded 12 billion yuan, back above 10 billion yuan box office for the first time since 2019.