101.85 million admissions in the first semester

by Fabien Lemercier

10/07/2012 - With 101.85 million admissions during the first half of 2012, cinema attendance was up by 4.7 % in France, compared to the same period last year according to the National Film and Moving Image Centre (CNC). Even if the month of June only saw a modest increase of 0.8 % compared to the same period last year, it has to be stressed that its total of 14.68 million spectators is the second best result for a month of June in 30 years.

As for market shares, French films accounted for 44.2 % of admissions during the first half of 2012, shoulder-to-shoulder with American productions (44,9 %). Feature films from other countries only accounted for 10.9 %.

France's 2012 box office is so far topped by two French films : Alain Chabat's Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami [trailer] (photo - 5.22 million admissions - Pathé Distribution) and Thomas Gilou's Would I Lie to You 3 [trailer] (4.61 million admissions - Mars Distribution). In fourth place is Le prénom [trailer] (lit. "The name") by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte (3.23 million admissions - Pathé Distribution). In eighth place is ensemble film The Players [trailer] (2.3 million admissions - Mars Distribution). And in 11th place is Cannes competitor Rust & Bone [trailer, film focus] by Jacques Audiard (1.8 million admissions - UGC Distribution).

As for other European films, the first semester was good for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy [trailer] by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson (632,000 admissions - StudioCanal), Barbara [trailer, film focus] by German director Christian Petzold (270,000 admissions in nine weeks - Pyramide Distribution), The Angels' Share [trailer, film focus] by English director Ken Loach (270,000 admissions in 12 days - Le Pacte), and Oslo, August 31st [trailer, film focus] by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier (Memento Films Distribution).

(Translated from French)