24/05/2002 - The latest issue of the European Cinema Journal, which was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival, stated that cinema audiences are on the increase throughout Europe

2001 was an extremely positive year for European cinemas. The latest edition of the European Cinema Journal, a quarterly newsletter from MEDIA Salles aimed at people working in the cinema industry, stated that there was a 9.7% increase in cinema audiences in Western Europe increased by 9.7%. The total figure was 936 million, up from 853 million in 2000. There was an overall increase of 10 million in Central and Eastern Europe, where total audiences were 97 million in 2001 - up from 87 million in 2000.
The latest edition of the MEDIA Salles newsletter also contains information about forthcoming events connected to the European cinema industry. These include «Focus on Europe», in Amsterdam from June 24th to 27th, an event for the international promotion of European films, and the first training course for people who work in the film industry, which will take place in Ebeltoft in Denmark on June 5th.
The Newsletter,which is currently available at the MEDIA Salles stand at the Cannes Film Festival, also includes an interview with Lawrence Safir from AFMA Europe. Safir discusses the independent film industry´s prospects in the light of new digital techniques and takes an in depth look at how European films are doing on the Western market.

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(Translated from Italian)