28/11/2005

While admissions are back on track, with two consecutive weeks of results superior to the same period in 2004, French features steal the show, taking the three first places at the box-office. Heading the list is Merry Christmas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Carion
interview: Christophe Rossignon
film profile] by Christian Carion (read Focus dedicated to film) which passed million admissions in two weeks with a total of 522 prints by UGC Distribution. In second position is Les chevaliers du ciel (Riders of the sky) by Gérard Pirès with Benoît Magimel and Clovis Cornillac which accumulated 932 000 admissions in two weeks (536 prints - Pathé Distribution). Just behind these two tenors, The Little Lieutenant by Xavier Beauvois (see interview) with Nathalie Baye and Jalil Lespert, a film rewarded by Label Europa Cinemas at Venice Days, registered an excellent start: 240 000 spectators in one week on 202 prints (Mars Distribution ), by far the best per screen average).

Other than these three gems, which allow French production to keep up with or beat the American films (49% market share each from 9 - 16 November, then 50% against 49% from 16 - 23 November), numerous national and European features are also realising good long-term rsults. Oliver Twist [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Roman Polanski totaled 1,3 million admissions in five weeks (Pathé Distribution), La boîte noire (The black box) by Richard Berry attracted 450 000 spectators in three weeks (EuropaCorp. Distribution), Il était une fois dans l’Oued [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Djamel Bensalah made 817 000 admissions in five weeks (Gaumont Columbia TriStar) and Saint Jacques... La Mecque [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Coline Serrau had almost 700 000 admissions (UGC distribution) in six weeks. Note, too, the 330 000 cinephiles seduced in five weeks by The Child [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne
film profile] from the Dardenne brothers (Diaphana Distribution) and the success of Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé by Stéphane Brizé, which stood out at the last San Sebastian festival (read compte-rendu) and which achieved 210 000 admissions in six weeks on 88 prints from Rezo Films.

(Translated from French)