23/03/2012 - Last year Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre began to lure back the grown-up audiences, and the trend has continued, according to the Finnish Film Foundation

Last year Finnish cinema attendance dropped by 6.6%, and domestic films lost 12% of their market. Since January 1 local fare has sold 0.9 million tickets, 110% up on 2011, for a 53% market share. Total admissions reached 1.7 million, (+18%). And the release schedule includes such potential blockbusters as Timo Vuorensola’s Iron Sky [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tero Kaukomaa
interview: Timo Vuorensola
interview: Timo Vuorensola
film profile] (April 4).

”Last year Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre began to lure back the +40-year-old grown-up and slightly more sophisticated audiences – both a critical and commercial success, the film sold almost 130,000 tickets,” explained head of distribution Harri Ahokas, of the Finnish Film Foundation.

”This have apparently rubbed off on Taru Mäkelä’s The Storage, also with a rather critical view of society, but with warmth and humour, and Aku Louhimies’s Naked Harbour, which have both done well at the box office, in the same area of demographics.

”In 2011 we were not too lucky with films for children and family audiences, but the third outing of Ricky Rapper – with Cool Wendy – has certainly changed that, taking 250,000 admissions. With good performances of the Vares thrillers, one still to come, most of the dance card is covered.

”With 80% of the Finnish theatres digitised, the number of premiere screens has almost doubled – and an increase of production will this year launch some-40 domestic productions, all supporting audience figures,” Ahokas concluded.

Finnish Top Five Films 2012

1 - Ricky Rapper and Cool Wendy - Mari Rantisala
249,713 admissions
2 - The Storage - Taru Mäkelä
177,649
3 - Once Upon a Time in the North - JP Siili
119,830
4 - Vares – The Path of the Righteous Men - Anders Engström
95,357
5 - Naked Harbour - Aku Louhimies
86,906.