An amateur animated film has become a surprise box-office hit in China, fuelling a wider debate about cinema, artificial intelligence and audience tastes. Made by a mother-and-son team on a shoestring budget, Niu Lai went from commercial failure to viral sensation after attracting a wave of negative reviews.
In an era of blockbusters and AI-generated videos, Niu Lai ("The Arrival of the Ox") looks like a relic from another age.
