Beijing: An animated film created by a mother and son with no professional background in the film industry has taken an unexpected journey from a disastrous opening to viral success in China.
Titled New Lai, the film was developed over five years by Shen Yumeng, an interior designer with no previous filmmaking experience, and his mother, Sun Lifeng, who is over 60 years old.
Determined to support her son, Sun taught herself screenwriting and became involved in the production process.
Five Years of Work
The mother and son reportedly worked on the project for around five years, handling much of the writing, directing, modelling, animation and editing themselves. They also provided voices for the characters, while Sun wrote the film’s ending song.
Despite their efforts, the film initially struggled to attract audiences.
From a Box-Office Flop to a Viral Hit
New Lai was released in 245 cinemas on August 5, but it had no major promotional budget, trailer or proper promotional posters.
As a result, only 236 tickets were reportedly sold during its first nine days, generating around 7,169 yuan in revenue.
By August 14, the film was being screened in only four cinemas across China.
Its fortunes changed dramatically after a social media user shared a clip from the movie. The video went viral, sparking curiosity among viewers and prompting cinemas to rapidly increase screenings.
According to the report, daily screenings jumped from just six to 11,959, while the film’s total box office climbed to 24.5 million yuan, equivalent to approximately $3.4 million.
Curiosity Becomes the Film’s Biggest Marketing Tool
The film’s unusual production and rough presentation became a major talking point online. As clips spread across social media, audiences became increasingly curious about the movie and why it had attracted so much attention.
That curiosity ultimately drove more people to cinemas, turning social media buzz into an unexpected marketing campaign for a film that had virtually no conventional promotional budget.
Sequel Already in Development
Following its unexpected surge in popularity, New Lai is now being regarded as one of China’s notable animated films of 2026, while work on a sequel has reportedly already begun.
The film’s journey has become an unusual example of how persistence, family collaboration and viral curiosity can transform an obscure production into a box-office success.
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