Since 2004, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television has discouraged theater chains nationwide from showing foreign movies during a certain period in summer in a bid to support domestic movies. The period, of about a month, when audiences can only see domestic movies in cinemas, is called the "month for protecting domestic movies".

The intention is to boost China's domestic movie industry and help domestic movies accomplish annual box office targets. Some people have criticized this kind of protective umbrella, arguing it only encourages bad movies. Others claim it is a necessary method to strengthen the still immature domestic movie industry.

Many domestic movies screened during this period have achieved great success at the box office, and several domestic movies have entered the "hundreds of million yuan box office" club during the month without international competition. Moreover, several domestic movies have won wide public praise for their stories and production. And some people now say that the month for protecting domestic movies has finally passed the exam.