03/07/2014 - #Selfie became the most successful domestic release, with 81,000 admissions

A higher number of screens, more weekly releases and an increase in the total number of films shown in cinemas over one week have all had a positive influence on Romanian cinema’s takings, giving a 26% increase during the first half of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. The first half of this year saw a total of 5.26 million admissions and €21.8 million in earnings, according to statistics published by cinemagia.ro, Romania’s most popular film website. The first half of 2013 only had 4.32 million admissions, while cinema earnings amounted to €17.6 million. 

Aided by the higher price of 3D screenings, 300: Rise of an Empire became the film with the biggest earnings in the first half of 2014, also recording the best first weekend (104,000 admissions) since 2012. The most popular release was Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, with almost 295,000 admissions. These two films were followed by Noah, Pompeii [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile] and Godzilla. Six of the ten most successful films during this period were distributed by MediaPro Distribution.

As for domestic releases, the first half of 2014 had little chance of beating 2013’s performance, with last year being dominated by the enthusiastic reception of Child’s Pose [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Calin Peter Netzer
film profile], after Călin Peter Netzer’s film won the Golden Bear in February 2013. Released on 8 March last year, the film would go on to become Romania’s most popular domestic release in a decade, taking 117,000 admissions. Nevertheless, Cristina Iacob’s first feature, #Selfie [+see also:
film review
film profile], stirred up significant interest among young Romanian cinemagoers, becoming the fastest film of the last decade to reach 50,000 admissions. In eight weeks, the comedy about three adventurous high-school graduates reached almost 81,000 admissions.

Though the European releases for the first quarter of 2014 were dominated by the two Nymphomaniac films, with approximately 33,000 admissions for Volume 1 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Louise Vesth
film profile], the German-produced 3D animation Tarzan [+see also:
trailer
film profile] became the most successful European release of the first half of the year, taking 57,000 admissions. The Grand Budapest Hotel [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile] was also well received, taking almost 50,000 admissions.