15/09/2006

French movie theatres are showing positive admissions results for 2006, with a total 128.23m admissions from January 1 through August 31, up 12.5% on the last eight months of 2005, according to estimates published by the Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC).

Despite the spectacular rise in admissions from February to May, which was an annual record, attendance did experience a slight drop in June (2.4%) and a significant decrease in July (28%). August, however, saw a revival in admissions, with 14.8m, or a 19% increase on August 2005 figures, with 286,000 filmgoers taking advantage of the "3 days 3 euros" event, held in Paris from August 20- 22 by the National Federation of French Cinemas.

Despite an overall good summer for US films, French films have retained a very high market share at 42.2% over the first eight months of 2006 (up 37% from January to August 2005), compared to 48.8% for US features (52% last year).

French audiences’ enthusiasm for domestic titles has contributed to the success of Denis Dercourt’s The Page Turner [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Denis Dercourt
interview: Michel Saint-Jean
film profile] (Diaphana Distribution, see Focus), which garnered 610,000 admissions in five weeks; The Science of Sleep [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Michel Gondry (Gaumont Columbia TriStar), which clocked up 458,000 filmgoers in four weeks; and Nos jours heureux (lit. “Our Happy Days”) by the directing duo Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano (1.4m admissions in 11 weeks – SND).

European films were also popular, with 594,000 admissions in three weeks for Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ken Loach
interview: Rebecca O’Brien
film profile] (Diaphana, see Focus) and 2.1m in 15 weeks for Volver [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Agustín Almodóvar
interview: Carmen Maura
interview: Pedro Almodóvar
interview: Pénélope Cruz
film profile] (see Focus) by Pedro Almodovar (Pathé Distribution).

Autumn has got off to an excellent start for French films with 207,000 admissions in one week for Philippe Lioret’s Don’t Worry, I’m Fine [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

(Translated from French)