With shifting audience taste and rising competition from other forms of entertainment, such as online micro-dramas, 2024 was tough on the film industry. The year’s box office revenue saw a 20 percent drop compared to last year. The traditionally popular release periods—Lunar New Year, summer, and the weeklong National Day holiday—are typically highly competitive battlegrounds for major films, but this year, both the summer and October holiday film markets saw a steep decline. Imported films have also lost their allure, with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire being the only one to break into the top 10 of the Chinese box office, earning 956 million yuan.

However, several hits still managed to stand out both critically and commercially. Many of these films highlighted previously unexplored topics, such as untold history of WWII, women-centered stories, flawed parenting across generations, and mental health issues among children. Here’s our list of the movies of the year:

Her Story 好东西

The second film by director Shao Yihui, following her successful debut Myth of Love (2021), Her Story is a slice-of-life comedy about two women and their day-to-day struggles. Wang Tiemei (Song Jia) is a determined and strong single mother of a 9-year-old daughter. The two move into their new home after Wang’s divorce and befriend their optimistic neighbor, Xiao Ye (Zhong Chuxi). The two vastly different women deal with the chaos created by their respective romantic and family lives, but are ultimately united in their understanding of each other’s pains and struggles. The film was praised for its unconventional yet insightful portrayal of womanhood and female friendship, making it the highest-rated film of the year on China’s major review platform Douban, earning a score of 9.1 out of 10. The film has also drawn comparison to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie for its biting but comedic commentary on modern womanhood while using a grounded approach centered on flawed yet sincere women.

Cesium Fallout 焚城

Directed by renowned Hong Kong filmmaker Anthony Pun, Cesium Fallout follows the story of a sudden leak of radioactive material at a waste treatment plant, threatening to contaminate all of Hong Kong within 24 hours. Environmental expert Fan Weili (Andy Lau) and acting Chief Executive Cecilia (Karen Mok) clash over handling the crisis, uncovering a dark web of interests tied to imported foreign waste in the megacity. The story is inspired by a news report from 2016 when an American environmental expert discovered that a large amount of illegal electronic waste had been dumped in Hong Kong, yet the issue received little attention. While Hong Kong cinema has faced challenges in recent years, this high-investment film has been praised for its top-notch special effects and outstanding performances from the cast. As of this writing, the film has earned 258 million yuan at the box office.

Like a Rolling Stone 出走的决心

Based on the true story of Su Min, a woman who went on a solo drive across China to escape an abusive marriage at the age of 56, the film centers around Li Hong (Yong Mei), who puts her dream of traveling aside to serve her family. For 30 years, Li slaves for an entitled husband, a needy daughter, and eventually grandchildren in the cramped apartment before finally deciding to leave. The film’s Chinese title, which translates to “The Resolve to Leave,” perhaps better captures the director’s intention by devoting most of the film to the buildup of Li’s final decision. On the review platform Douban, viewers have said that they see their own mothers and grandmothers reflected in Li—generations of Chinese women who have been taught to set aside their own needs, feelings, and desires to serve the family without complaint. Read our review here.

The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru 里斯本丸沉没

Dubbed the “Dunkirk of the East,” director Fang Li’s documentary uncovers the long-forgotten story of the WWII “ship of death.” In October 1942, the Lisbon Maru, a Japanese vessel transporting over 1,800 British prisoners of war, was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine near the Zhoushan Islands off the coast of Zhejiang province. Despite immense danger, local Chinese fishermen risked their lives to save 384 survivors. The documentary spares no effort in tracing key figures and descendants from Britain, the US, Japan, and China to piece together this remarkable story. It holds a glowing 9.3 rating on Douban. With box office earnings exceeding 47 million yuan, the film has also broken a five-year record for the highest-grossing domestic documentary. While selected as China’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, the film was ultimately deemed ineligible by the Academy for not having “a predominantly non-English dialogue track.”

White Snake: Afloat 白蛇：浮生

This film is the last installment of Light Chaser Animation’s White Snake trilogy. Inspired by the classical Chinese folktale “Legend of the White Snake,” the series narrates the love story between a man and a white snake demon. The series has been praised for its unique traditional Chinese aesthetic style generated by advanced computer animation technology. While its ratings and reviews on the Chinese review platform Douban are generally favorable, the latest movie only recently passed 300 million yuan in revenue, placing it well below the performance of its predecessors. Critics pointed to its lack of innovation in storytelling as its primary shortcoming.

Successor 抓娃娃

With over 3.3 billion yuan in box office revenue, Successor was the comedy hit of the summer, and the second highest-grossing film of the year. Directed by Yan Fei and Peng Damo, the directing duo behind comedy hits Goodbye Mister Loser (2015) and Hello Mr. Billionaire (2018), the film stars Shen Teng and Ma Li as a pair of extravagantly wealthy parents, who—after deeming their first son to be inadequate—choose to raise their second child in abject poverty to build his character. The intensive parenting style depicted in the film has been a source of both humor and ire for many. Read our review here.

A Place Called Silence 默杀

Directed by Chinese Malaysian filmmaker Sam Quah, A Place Called Silence is a crime thriller in which bullies become the target of gory violence. A reshoot of Quah’s debut feature that premiered at the 2022 Busan Film Festival and the 2023 Shanghai International Film Festival, the film was a sleeper hit at the box office, earning over 1.3 billion yuan in revenue. Director Quah gained recognition for his 2019 film Sheep Without a Shepherd, a remake of the Indian thriller Drishyam, which tells the story of a family attempting to evade the darker aspects of the law after committing an unexpected crime. In A Place Called Silence, Quah continues to explore complex social issues through a gripping and suspenseful lens.

Black Dog 狗阵

First screened in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Un Certain Regard prize, Black Dog tells the heartwarming story of Er Lang (Eddie Peng), recently released from prison and returning to his hometown, where he faces prejudice and discrimination. To make a living, he joins a dog patrol team tasked with rounding up strays in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and ends up saving a stray black dog. The film is directed by Guan Hu, a prominent member of China’s sixth generation of filmmakers, often praised for his focus on marginalized figures in society, exploration of social issues, and dark humor.

Time Still Turns the Pages 年少日记

High school teacher Mr. Zheng (Chun-Yip Lo) discovers an anonymous suicide note in his classroom. As he races to identify the student and intervene before tragedy strikes, Zheng also grapples with his impending divorce and the looming death of his terminally ill father. The deeper he digs into his students’ lives, the more he is confronted with painful memories of his own childhood—an abusive father, an indifferent mother, and a brother who struggled under the weight of unattainable expectations. By exploring loss, trauma, and family, Time sheds light on often neglected mental health issues among children. This gripping drama has been nominated for several Best Film awards, including at the 60th Taipei Golden Horse Awards and the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards.

Gone with the Boat 乘船而去

After Zhou Jin (Ge Zhaomei) is diagnosed with a brain tumor, her two children return to the countryside to care for her. Her daughter wants her to seek the best medical treatment, while the younger son believes they should honor their mother’s wishes to give up and embrace the end of her days. This debut feature from director Chen Xiaoyu is an intimate exploration of Chinese familial dynamics. Rather than relying on dramatic confrontations, the film portrays the subtle yet profound generational tensions and everyday struggles through dialogue. Recognized for its authenticity and insight, the film was nominated for Best Narrative Feature at the 17th FIRST International Film Festival and won Best Screenplay at the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon 周处除三害

After losing his grandmother, his last living relative, wanted criminal Chen Guilin is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Determined to make amends for his past, he resolves to surrender to the authorities. However, upon discovering that he’s only the third wanted man pursued by the police, Chen sets out to track down the two listed before him and deliver justice himself for the greater good. Lead actor Ethan Juan, better known for his roles in Taiwanese romance dramas, delivers a gripping performance as a vigilante in this extremely violent film. The Pig dominated China’s March box office and has become the second highest-grossing Taiwan-made film screened on the Chinese mainland, with earnings exceeding 665 million yuan.

YOLO 热辣滚烫

Adapted from the 2014 Japanese sports drama 100 Yen Love, YOLO depicts how Du Leying (Jia Ling), an unemployed overweight woman who has lived at home with her parents for years, transforms her life through boxing. Directed and co-written by Jia Ling, YOLO was released during the Lunar New Year holiday and remains the highest-grossing film of 2024, earning over 3.4 billion yuan. Much of the public’s attention has also focused on Jia’s impressive 50-kilogram weight loss for the role.