19/07/2005

The first quarter of the year was successful for Spanish films, with an increase in the number of moviegoers, compared to the figures for the same period in 2004. According to data published by ICAA, until the last the 20th of June, 7.630.405 people (14,63% of the total of moviegoers) watched Spanish films, a figure which corresponds to 38.113.553,60€, an increase on the 26.970.664,91€ registered in the first semester of 2004.

The most successful Spanish (co)productions in the box office are Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven, Roberto Santiago's El Penalti más largo del mundo, Breck Eisner's Sahra, José Corbacho y Juan Cruz's Tapas and Benito Zambrano's Habana Blues [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. May was the month with the biggest attendances: 3.136.934 moviegoers which corresponds to 16.022.722,66€. Despite the fact that less people watched American films when compared to 2004, the optimistic figures do not hide the important role American cinema still plays in the Spanish box office: the 374 American films (against the 211 Spanish ones) attracted 32.8989.180 people (63,08% of moviegoers, the equivalent to 164.943.672,03€).

So, the US occupies the first position in terms of countries whose films perform well at the box office, immediately followed by Spain. As for other nationalities, some Member States of the European Union present very different figures. In the first 5 positions – excluding US and Spain – are:
The UK (74 films; 12,04% of the total of moviegoers),
France (89 films; 4,75% of the total of moviegoers),
Germany (116 films – 1,68% of the total of moviegoers),
Italy (36 films – 0,21% of the total of moviegoers),
and Greece (1 film – 0,14% of the total of moviegoers).

The battle by Spanish film for a larger audience continues, with a total of 10 films being released in July and August.