23/07/2009

Polish theatres have achieved record results, attracting 19.8m viewers during the first six months of 2009, according to figures published by the website boxoffice.pl.

The numbers show that theatres are doing more than merely surviving the global economic crisis and hint at the possibility of reaching 38m admissions in 2009, which would be a new peak after the 2008 record (33.7m admissions - see news).

During last year’s first semester, theatres drew 17.1m viewers (2.7m fewer than the same period in 2009) and the previous record dates back to 2004 when 18.8m admissions were amassed in the first six months.

The 2009 results confirm a well-established trend: Polish audiences turned out in their greatest numbers during the first three months of the year (12m viewers from the start of January to the end of March 2009).

The top 10 for the first semester of 2009 is headed by Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (released in January - 2.1m admissions); and two Polish productions: Bruce Parramore’s Love and Dance [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (on screens since March - 1.34m viewers) and Rafał Wieczyński’s Popiełuszko [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (launched in February - 1.31m admissions).

Next in line are Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Danny Boyle
film profile] (462,000 admissions); Adam Shankman’s Bedtime Stories (456,000); Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (413,000); and Xawery Zuławski’s Snow White and Russian Red [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (407,000).

The increase in admissions is accompanied by a rise in box office takings. According to boxoffice.pl, the first semester of 2009 saw overall earnings of 331.7m zlotys (€78.2m), compared to 272.4m (€64.2m) for the same period in 2008. Takings have increased more rapidly than admissions due to the inflation in ticket prices (up from an average €3.6 last year to €4 in 2009).

(Translated from French)