10/10/2008

After the month of September – traditionally one of the most sluggish periods in terms of audience figures in Polish theatres (due to viewers’ limited autumn finances after the holidays) – early October hasn’t yet seen an improvement in the situation.

Last weekend, the number of admissions fell to 280,400, the lowest figure recorded over the last two months. The weekend’s five new releases didn’t weaken the dominance of musical comedy Mamma Mia!, which has headed the Top 10 for six weeks and garnered a total of 878,300 admissions.

However, despite these declining audience figures, the overall results for 2008 remain encouraging. With 17.1m admissions, the first semester has in fact seen a 4.3% rise compared to the same period in 2007.

This upturn results from an increase in the number of theatres (dominated by multiplexes) and releases; the facilities available to viewers (in particular screenings for mothers and babies, screenings for single people, etc); and the shortened time lapse between film releases abroad and in Poland (with reduced film consumption at home).

The rise in takings is also due to the increase in average admission prices (which have gone up from €4.3 to €5.1 in a year), but above all the real boom in advertising in theatres. As pointed out by film website stopklatka.pl. – who refer to data published by Starlink media house – companies’ spending on advertising in theatres has shot up by 58.3%. For example, multiplex network Helios’ earnings from advertising sales have increased by 140%.