15/01/2014 - After two negative years, a reversal in trends: an increase by 6.56% in tickets sold, an increase to 31.02% of Italian cinema’s share of the market

Positive signals have emerged regarding the Italian cinema market according to new data, signalling an inversion in trends after two negative years. According to Cinetel data, which traces 90% of the entire market, tickets sold amounted to 97,380,572 last year, marking an increase of 6.56% compared to 2012, and box-office revenue went up to €618,353,030, an increase of 1.45%.

Data was presented in Rome yesterday by sector associations ANEC and ANEM and by distributors and producers from ANICA. Speaking at the presentation were heads of ANEC, Lionello Cerri, ANICA, Riccardo Tozzi, ANEM, Carlo Bernaschi, Sezione Distributori ANICA, Andrea Occhipinti and CINETEL, Michele Napoli.  

The Italian cinema market share also went up last year, amounting to 31.02%, compared to 26,5% in 2012. The number of films distributed also rose, to 453 compared to 364 in 2012 (+89 film). This was partially a result of the digitalisation of cinemas. Of the twenty most successful films, seven were Italian, two of which are in first and third position. Another positive piece of news is the reduction in average price of tickets, amounting to €6.08, compared to €6.21 in 2012.

Movie theatres saw an increase in audiences, especially with venues containing 5 to 7 screens and multiplexes. Performances for single screen theatres and venues with 2 to 4 screens remained stable. By the end of 2013, around 75% of screens across Italy were digital.

A significant increase was seen in terms of audience presence on Thursdays: in 2013, tickets sold on that day went up by 25.74%, thanks to a joint consensus to concentrate film releases on that day.

The positive trend seems set to continue in 2014: the amount of tickets sold on January 1-12 were 35% higher than the same period in 2013 and revenue amounted to an increase of 36.5%, with an overall quota for Italian films of 39.33%.