27 april 2016

The number of cinema spectators increased in a 6.9% in the European Union and in a 5.5% in the 36 European territories with exhibitors associations.  This balance (2015) carried out by the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), the main institution of cinematographic exhibitors at a European level.

If we take account of the number of films that we see every year, the data is similar to that from 2014: 1.2 times a year is the European average. This figure is higher only in France and Ireland, with 3.1 and 3.3 times respectively.

Data by countries

In the United Kingdom, the tickets selling increased a 17.3%. This meant 1,240.4 million pounds, facing the 1,057.7 million pounds from 2014. The figure of spectators went from 157.5 millions in 2014 to 172 millions in 2015, a rising of a 9.2%.

In Germany, the own production Fack Ju Göhte 2 helped the country to raise 1,136.4 million euros, 16% more than last year.

The highest amount of spectators in the European Union was achieved in France, with 200 millions, although it was lower by a 1.4% than in 2014.

In the Nordic Countries, the in-house production was decisive to achieve better results than in 2014. In Denmark, the film Klovn Foreve increased the ticket selling by a 22% and the spectators figure increased up to a 15.2%. In Finland, the movie Luokkakokous got a 25.5% and a 18.9% in ticket selling and number of spectators respectively. The Nowegian movie Bølgen drew in an amount of the 8.6% spectators more than in previous editions. The ticket selling increased by a 13.8%.

The report by UNIC highlights the important role of local productions like ‘8 apellidos catalanes’ (8 Catalan Surnames) in Spain

In Central Europe and East Europe, the increasing number of spectators and of earnings. An example is Poland, which has become one of the main European cinematographic markets with an amount of 40 million spectators.

In Spain, the UNIC point out that the cinematographic market increased for the second consecutive year both in earnings (a 9.2% more) and in spectators (a 7.5% more). The most watched films in our country between 2014 and 2015 were:

• 8 apellidos catalanes (8 Catalan Surnames)
• Minions
• Star Wars: the Force Awakens
• Jurassic world
• Inside out

8 apellidos catalanes (8 Catalan Surnames), by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro. It is the sequel of the also successful film 8 Basque Surnames. It drew in a total of 540,000 spectators and raised 35 million euros.

The report by UNIC highlights the important role of local productions in the European Union. Less surprising was the success of international super productions like Fast and Furious 7, Minions, Fifty Shades of Grey and Star Wars: the Force Awakens.

Image source: unic-cinemas.org