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A Chinese animated film mocked as ‘terrible’ becomes a box-office hit

A Chinese animated film, initially mocked as "terrible," has become a box-office hit. Dubbed "Niulai," the film follows the story of a calf whose dream involves growing up with the help of his family. Despite its rudimentary 3D animation and description as "ugly" and "eerie," the movie gained attention thanks to scathing online reviews.

The film's box office surged to 8.2 million yuan ($1.2 million) on its first day, with nearly 300,000 admissions. Local news reported that the film was made by just two people - director Xin Yumeng and his mother, Sun Lifan. The movie's unconventional nature and simplicity have resonated with some viewers, while others found it funny and recommended it to others.

Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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