The film "The Volunteer Army" trilogy's second installment, "The Volunteer Army: The Battle of Life and Death," is currently being screened across the country. So far, it has achieved a box office record of 360 million yuan, making it the top film of this year's National Day holiday.
On National Day, "The Volunteer Army: The Battle of Life and Death" held a special screening in collaboration with China Film Group, bringing together 75 viewing groups nationwide for a "Ten Thousand People Continue the Unfinished Story" viewing event. On this festive day, ten thousand spectators entered the theater with their families and friends to watch the film, immersively paying tribute to the volunteer soldiers who bled on the battlefield for the peaceful development of the new China, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Event 50: Absolute Realm, Beijing
Event 30: Film Reel, Shanghai
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of new China. On National Day, "The Volunteer Army: The Battle of Life and Death" partnered with China Film Group to organize a special nationwide viewing event involving 75 groups, allowing people to collectively reflect on the battlefield journey, remember heroic deeds, and encourage ourselves to move forward. The announcement of this event received an enthusiastic response from the public, with many expressing their sentiments: "Watching 'The Volunteer Army: The Battle of Life and Death' together with thousands of viewers this National Day is very meaningful and gave me a strong sense of the holiday ceremony!"
According to statistics, the event received strong support from 75 viewing groups across 54 cities in 27 provinces. The leaders of each group gathered in a matrix numbered from 1 to 75 to celebrate this romantic collective viewing experience dedicated to the birthday of new China.
Event 28: Dou Sha Qing Ying x Hohhot Dolby Fan Group, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia
In the 75 viewing events, not only were thousands of ordinary viewers present, but there were also various special groups. Among them were veterans of the volunteer army and their families, as well as armed police officers, retired soldiers, police, medical personnel, volunteers, and others. They are the "new era guardians," who continue to protect the stability of the country just as the volunteer army soldiers did!
Event 70: Mke Screening & IMAX SQUAD Wuxi Fan Group, Wuxi, Jiangsu
Staff presented volunteer army veteran Peng Ziqiang with a special edition of "People’s Pictorial"
At the 70th event in Wuxi, volunteer army veteran Peng Ziqiang, who participated in the second and fifth campaigns of the Korean War, attended and watched the film alongside nearly 200 spectators, engaging warmly with young viewers born after 2005.
Event 35: Light and Shadow Power Plant, Shenyang, Liaoning
At the 35th event in Shenyang, the families of volunteer army soldiers like Zhao Hongji, commander of the 180th regiment of the 60th division of the 20th army, Liu Xinqing, a machine gunner from the 448th regiment of the 150th division of the 50th army, and Li Chengyuan, a soldier from the 501st anti-aircraft artillery regiment, entered the theater to reminisce about their ancestors’ battle years. Upon seeing the young soldiers storming into battle on the screen, they couldn't hold back their tears. "The entire film showcases the heroic spirit of the volunteer army defending the motherland. Their dedication and sacrifice for the country and future generations are qualities everyone should learn from. I want today’s children to know that their peaceful lives are thanks to their predecessors' hard battles, so we must cherish the hard-earned peace we have now,"
noted a family member.
小岛, the leader of the Kuman Viewing Group in Shanghai, shared his thoughts on this event's special meaning. "I have elders in my family who were war correspondents in the Korean War. I hope that after watching the film, viewers can better appreciate that today’s happiness is the result of sacrifices made by those remarkable individuals, and to cherish the life we have now." In the audience, a Shanghai lady held up a plastic bag filled with wet tissues, exclaiming, "I’m really moved; I’m not lying!" She reflected, "After watching the movie, I can walk down Huaihai Road, eat whatever I want, do whatever I please, but we must never forget our fallen heroes, as our current happy lives were bought with their blood and lives."
A viewer from the Kuman Viewing Group with a bag of wet tissues
For the 30th event in Shanghai, the Film Reel Viewing Group prepared exquisite souvenirs for fans. Fans from various professions shared their resonances and connections with the characters in the film after the screening.
Souvenirs prepared by the Film Reel Viewing Group for fans
In the 12th event in Anyang, Henan, and the 66th event in Zhengzhou, local veterans entered the cinema to relive their glorious years on the silver screen. At the 74th event in Guiyang, the audience spontaneously sang "Ode to the Motherland" before entering the theater to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of new China. The resonating, uplifting melody was moving and honored the spirit of the event, which also took place in places like Tianjin, Chongqing, Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, collectively forming a heartwarming connection and emotional resonance between "The Volunteer Army: The Battle of Life and Death" and audiences nationwide. This atmosphere of respect and enthusiasm showcased today’s younger generations, using film as a bridge to remember and commemorate that profound history while expressing their admiration and gratitude for the heroic ancestors.
Event 65: Wenzhou IMAX Fan Group, Wenzhou, Zhejiang
