Spanish director's nostalgic portrayal of NYC in the 1980s

When Spanish director Pablo Berger read the conclusion of Robot Dreams, a classic graphic novel penned by American writer Sara Varon, he found himself overcome with emotion, shedding tears like a baby.

"It made me think about a lot of people I love, but also lost. I had never in my life, not even once, thought about making an animated film. But the end of the graphic novel was so powerful that if I wanted this story to be told, I had to do it," Berger told China Daily.

Marking the 61-year-old filmmaker's debut in animation, the film secured an Oscar nomination for best animated feature earlier this year, and clinched multiple esteemed accolades, such as the best independent feature at the 51st Annie Awards and the European Film Award for best animated feature.

Since its premiere on the Chinese mainland last month, the movie has amassed around 11.4 million yuan ($1.6 million) at the box office, earning a stellar rating of nine out of 10 on the country's influential review aggregator Douban. Its nationwide screenings will run until Aug 7.