China’s “Film+” Consumption Pilot Program: A ¥Billion-Dollar Bet on Cinema Ecosystems

• Nurture Growth: Targeted marketing and community engagement to increase ticket sales.
• Innovate Environments: Upgrading facilities with premium seating and high-tech projection.
• Expand Derivatives: Developing merchandise and branded products tied to IP.
• Build Brands: Creating distinctive lifestyle identities and themed social scenarios.
• Monitor Data: Tracking consumption patterns to measure economic impact.

China just made a bold move to transform how people spend money at the movies.

The China Film Administration (Guojia Dianying Ju 国家电影局) and Ministry of Commerce (Shangwu Bu 商务部) have officially launched the “Film+” Consumption Comprehensive Pilot Program—a national initiative designed to turn cinemas into full-fledged consumption ecosystems rather than just movie theaters.

Here’s what you need to know: this isn’t just about selling more movie tickets.

---

Why This Program Matters Right Now

China’s government is trying to solve a real problem: boosting consumer spending across the entire economy.

The program implements the spirit of the 20th CPC Central Committee’s Fourth Plenary Session and executes special actions to stimulate consumption across multiple sectors.

The core idea?

Leverage the film industry as an economic engine to drive broader consumption growth and reshape the movie industry into something bigger than just screenings.

Think of it like this: if a cinema becomes the hub for dining, shopping, entertainment, and social experiences—not just watching movies—the entire venue becomes a consumption multiplier.

---

16 Cities Get the Pilot Program Treatment

The government selected 16 strategic locations across China to test this model.

These weren’t random picks—they went through a merit-based selection process from relevant provinces and municipalities.

Here’s the full list of “Film+” Consumption Comprehensive Pilot Cities:

• Chaoyang District (Chaoyang Qu 朝阳区) of Beijing (Beijing 北京)
• Changchun (Changchun 长春), Jilin Province
• Hongkou District (Hongkou Qu 虹口区) of Shanghai (Shanghai 上海)
• Wuxi (Wuxi 无锡), Jiangsu Province
• Ningbo (Ningbo 宁波), Zhejiang Province
• Fuzhou (Fuzhou 福州), Fujian Province
• Qingdao (Qingdao 青岛), Shandong Province
• Zhengzhou (Zhengzhou 郑州), Henan Province
• Yichang (Yichang 宜昌), Hubei Province
• Changsha (Changsha 长沙), Hunan Province
• Shenzhen (Shenzhen 深圳), Guangdong Province
• Liangjiang New Area (Liangjiang Xin Qu 两江新区) of Chongqing (Chongqing 重庆)
• Chengdu (Chengdu 成都), Sichuan Province
• Yan’an (Yan’an 延安), Shaanxi Province
• Kunshan (Kunshan 昆shan), Jiangsu Province
• Nanxun District (Nanxun Qu 南浔区) of Huzhou (Huzhou 湖州), Zhejiang Province

Notice the geographic spread?

It’s not just coastal tier-1 cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen—the government included inland provinces like Hubei, Hunan, and Shaanxi.

This signals serious commitment to regional development, not just boosting consumption in already-wealthy areas.

---

What These Pilot Cities Actually Have to Do

The work plan lays out five specific focus areas for participating cities.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Nurture Movie-Going Consumption Growth

The first priority is straightforward: get more people buying theater tickets.

This means targeted marketing, community engagement, and making cinema-going feel like an essential experience rather than an occasional luxury.

2. Promote Innovation in Cinema Environments

Quality matters.

Pilot cities need to invest in upgrading theaters with better facilities, technology, and user experiences.

Think premium seating, state-of-the-art projection, immersive sound systems—basically, make people want to leave their homes and go to the theater.

3. Expand Film-Related Derivative Consumption

This is where things get interesting.

The program actively encourages innovation in film merchandise, collectibles, and branded products tied to popular movies.

When a blockbuster hits, theaters should be selling character merchandise, limited-edition products, and exclusive collectibles—not just popcorn.

4. Build “Film+” Consumer Brands

Cinemas need to develop distinctive brand identities that go beyond showing movies.

The vision is creating cinema experiences that are memorable, shareable, and tied to larger lifestyle moments.

Think: themed dining experiences, exclusive events, membership programs with real perks.

5. Explore “Film+” Consumption Monitoring

The government is serious about data.

Cities will need to track and measure consumption patterns, spending habits, and economic impact across the entire cinema ecosystem.

This gives the government real insights into what works and what doesn’t.

---

The Bigger Picture: Extending the Entire Film Value Chain

Here’s what makes this program different from typical industry support initiatives.

The government isn’t just trying to help movie theaters survive.

Instead, the program aims to give full play to the role of film in creative leadership and public engagement while empowering social and economic development.

The strategy involves:

• Creating new business formats: Developing entirely new ways for consumers to engage with film and cinema experiences
• Innovating consumption models: Moving beyond traditional ticket sales to multi-format revenue streams
• Building new scenarios: Making cinema a destination for dining, shopping, entertainment, and social gatherings—not just movie-watching

The real goal?

Extend the film industry’s industrial, value, and consumption chains.

In plain English: turn cinemas into economic hubs that generate revenue across multiple touchpoints—ticketing, food, merchandise, experiences, events, and more.

---

What This Means for Investors and Founders

If you’re watching China’s tech and entertainment landscape, this program signals something important.

The government is actively trying to solve the consumption problem through cultural infrastructure.

For investors, this creates opportunities:

• Theater operators in these 16 pilot cities will likely see increased government support and consumer subsidies
• Tech companies building cinema ticketing, reservation, or analytics platforms could benefit from expanded adoption
• Consumer brands targeting cinema-goers and film merchandise markets have a more favorable policy environment
• Hospitality and dining companies partnering with cinemas could see new revenue opportunities

For founders, the program signals a clear message: the Chinese government sees cinema ecosystems as key to driving consumer spending.

If you’re building solutions that enhance cinema experiences, monetize film fandom, or create integrated entertainment destinations, you’re operating in a space the government actively wants to develop.

---

The Cultural Impact: Why This Matters Beyond Economics

Here’s something easy to overlook: this isn’t just an economic stimulus program.

The initiative is designed to foster a healthy cultural ecosystem for film consumption, promote market prosperity, and better meet the growing needs of the people for a better lifestyle.

Translation: the government sees cinema as fundamental to cultural life and quality-of-life improvements.

As China’s middle class grows and people have more disposable income, the government is essentially saying: “We want cinema and cultural experiences to be at the center of how people spend that money.”

That’s a fundamental shift in how governments approach cultural policy.

---

Bottom Line: The “Film+” Program is a Bold Bet on Cinema’s Future

China’s Film Administration and Ministry of Commerce aren’t just supporting the movie industry—they’re fundamentally reimagining what cinemas can be.

By rolling out the “Film+” Consumption Comprehensive Pilot Program across 16 strategic cities, the government is testing whether turning cinemas into full-fledged consumption ecosystems can drive real economic growth.

If successful, this model could reshape how cinemas operate globally and create significant opportunities for companies building cinema-adjacent services, experiences, and products.

The 16 pilot cities are where the experiment happens first—watch them closely for what comes next in China’s cinema economy and the broader “Film+” consumption ecosystem.

---

References

• National Film Administration and Ministry of Commerce Organize ‘Film+’ Consumption Comprehensive Pilot – Ministry of Commerce (Shangwu Bu 商务部)
• Industry Guidelines and Policy Updates – China Film Administration (Guojia Dianying Ju 国家电影局)
• Economic Impacts of Cultural Spending – Eastmoney (Dongfang Caifu 东方财富)