'Niu Lai' sets record for box office to production ratio
Niu Lai, a low-budget Chinese animated movie, just made history as the most profitable film in cinema history by box-office-to-production-cost ratio, earning over $4.3 million (RMB 29 million) from a budget of only a few hundred dollars.
Released on August 5, it started off under the radar but blew up after clips went viral on social media.
Xin and Sun made 'Niu Lai'
Created approximately five years by mother-son duo Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang, Niu Lai tells an abstract story about a calf and a skylark using simple computer animation.
While its basic visuals were first mocked online, people were drawn in by its unusual style and the filmmakers' unusual five-year production process.
Even with big studio blockbusters like The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day competing for attention, Niu Lai stood out for its creativity, and record-breaking returns on almost no budget.