BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China's box office sales reached 3.39 billion yuan (about 495.6 million U.S. dollars) in August, bringing the total box office for 2020 to 5.8 billion yuan, as the world's second-largest box-office market gradually recovers.

Photo: CGTN

The number of moviegoers visiting theaters hit 95 million in August, according to figures released by China Film News.

Chinese war epic film "The Eight Hundred" led the Chinese mainland box office last month, raking in more than 1.9 billion yuan since its release on Aug. 21. It is the first movie to make over 1 billion yuan in the Chinese market this year.

Directed by Guan Hu, the movie depicts Chinese soldiers' defense of a warehouse against the invading Japanese army during the Battle of Shanghai in 1937.