Chinese blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" hits screens in Spain

BARCELONA, Spain, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" hit the big screens across Spain on Friday, with a local industry insider saying the film could open a door to Chinese culture for Spanish audiences.

The Cines Filmax Gran Via cinema complex in Barcelona is among hundreds of cinemas scheduled to screen the film from Friday through Monday, according to Enlight Media, its film's main producer.

"For an ancient culture like that of China, which has a very rich mythology that we don't know, this can open a door to learning about it in an entertaining way," said Camilo Tarrazon, co-CEO of the Cines Filmax Gran Via, in an interview with Xinhua.

Based on the 16th-century Chinese mythological novel Investiture of the Gods, the movie tells the story of Ne Zha, a demon child whose adventures uncover a dark conspiracy and trigger a war between the forces of good and evil.

"Without doubt, this is a step forward. We live in a world where distances and barriers are falling, and cinema is an industry that can allow us to get to know the culture of a country as important as China," Tarrazon added.

A day before the official release, the Barcelona cinema hosted a pre-launch screening of "Ne Zha 2." According to Tarrazon, it marked the first time that a Chinese film in its original version was shown in Spanish cinemas.

Produced on a relatively modest budget of 80 million U.S. dollars, "Ne Zha 2" has already become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. Since its release, the movie has earned more than 2 billion dollars globally, including presales and international revenues, according to film data platform Maoyan.