09/06/2011

According to estimates published by the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC), French theatres recorded 82.52m admissions from January 1-May 31, 2011, which represents an 11% drop compared to the same period in 2010. This result is above all the consequence of three very difficult months in January (-24.7%), March (-10.6%) and April (-26.3%). This sharp decline was curbed in May, a month which saw 15.75m viewers (-1.4%).

So far, February is the only month in 2011 to show positive audience figures (+5%) compared to the previous year. Even though audience figures in French theatres remain very high (196.17m over the last 12 months), developments over the coming months should be studied very carefully if we are to work out whether the current downturn is merely short-term or a warning sign of a deeper trend exacerbated by the failure to stagger releases evenly across the year. A perfect if regrettable example of this is the slated launch of France’s two Cannes award-winners (Poliss [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maïwenn
film profile] and The Artist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michel Hazanavicius
film profile]) on the same day, October 19, 2011.

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As for market shares, French features represent 38.5% of admissions for the first five months of 2011, compared to 48% for US productions and 13.5% for titles from other countries.

(Translated from French)