Box office sales up 9.4% in the first half of the year
- The figures were presented at Ciné in Riccione: viewers are up 5%. There’s talk of a stronger summer offer and two film festivals in the autumn and spring
The figures from the first semester of 2015 are positive. Just over 51 million admissions were recorded between January and June, up 5% on the same period in 2014. More than €330 million was taken compared to €302 million the previous year (an increase of 9.4%).
The figures were provided by ANICA at the fifth edition of “Ciné” being held in Riccione, where distributors are presenting films for the upcoming season to exhibitors. "These statistics don’t mean we have overcome every problem, but they give us reason to hope that the year ends on a profit, and drive us to work together with even greater determination”, agreed Andrea Occhipinti, Luigi Cuciniello and Carlo Bernaschi, the respective presidents of the distributors associated with ANICA and the exhibitors associated with ANEC and ANEM.
One of the problems referred to is that of summer releases. The figures from June 2015 are fairly encouraging, with almost 5 million admissions, an increase of around 1 million on last year (+23,7%) and over €32 million in box office takings (+35%).
A study carried out by the magazine ‘Box Office’ on film genres and the preferences of audiences over the last 5 years highlights that the offer is limited and takings from Italian films are low during the summer months.
Andrea Occhipinti called upon the industry to release Italian films in the summer, as is starting to be the case this year. Luigi Cuciniello pointed out that there’s a lack of variety in terms of genre, also observing that in Italy more and more films are being produced, but on lower budgets, with takings concentrated to a select few titles in an ever-shrinking period of the year.
After comparing the Italian film industry to the Spanish, French and British industries, the associations committed themselves to organising two key promotional events for film theatres, on two days yet to be chosen in October 2015 and in the spring of 2016, following the lead of initiatives in other European countries, outlined yesterday in a meeting at Ciné. Press agencies and sponsors will be involved in advertising the events.
(Translated from Italian)
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