Children watch a movie at a park in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. [Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Qixingguan District]

On April 20, the Chinese animated fantasy "Big Fish & Begonia" was screened at a park in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, attracting crowds of local residents.

"The number of local residents coming to the park to watch movies has kept increasing. On April 19, we played a movie for more than 4,000 people," said Li Xiuyu, deputy executive director of the publicity department of the Party committee in Qixingguan District of Bijie.

Local residents watch a movie at a park in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. [Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Qixingguan District]

"We think screening movies for local residents is a good way to enrich their spiritual and cultural lives," said Li. Launched on April 17, the movie-screening activity ran until April 23.

Local residents watch a movie at a park in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. [Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Qixingguan District]

Every morning during these days, the local government of Qixingguan District would release a list of six movies on its WeChat account for local residents to choose one movie that they would like to watch. The highest-ranking movie would be shown that night.

After watching the movies, local residents could also enjoy local snacks at a pedestrian street near the park. This helped to boost the development of the nighttime economy in Bijie.

A boy and his mother watch a movie together at a park in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. [Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Qixingguan District]

The activity received a warm response from local residents. Li said that they would like to hold such activities on a regular basis in the future.

Local residents watch a movie at a park in Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. [Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Qixingguan District]

(Source: People's Daily Online)