Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

In July 1981, Xuanwu Cinema, the capital's then largest underground theater, opened under Xuanwu Park in western Beijing.

It covered 3,400 square meters with a 1,150-seat main hall, as seen in an item from China Daily.

The country's box-office revenue that year was 1.26 billion yuan.

In the recent decades, China has been remaking the global film sector.

The country has been the world's second-largest film market since 2012.Its box-office revenue grossed nearly 61 billion yuan ($8.86 billion), according to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

Chinese filmmakers produced more than 1,000 films last year.

Technology has also brought dramatic changes to the moviegoing experience.

After effects like sound and color found their way onto movie screens decades ago, new technology like 3D, Imax and virtual reality now makes audiences part of the movie.

New movie theaters and screens have emerged nationwide. By the end of last year, the country had 60,079 screens, of which 9,303 were installed during the year.

To take advantage of the fast-growing market, filmmakers from abroad are seeking to strengthen their foothold.

In 2015, Warner Bros announced a deal with China Media Capital, a State-backed investment fund, to produce Chinese-language movies.

Facing fierce competition, homegrown filmmakers are catching up. Last year, domestic feature films grossed nearly 38 billion yuan, accounting for some 62 percent of the nation's box-office revenue, which marks the highest since the Chinese film industry started to take off in the early 2000s.

The central government backs the domestic film industry as part of broader efforts to promote China's culture across the world.