There is better for French cinemas, which record a month of December close to normal.
It’s time to take stock for the CNC, which paints a picture of a still rather complicated year for French cinemas. However, there is hope. Were there many spectators this year?
2019 had set a new record. A few months before the arrival of COVID-19 in our lives, theaters recorded an excellent attendance rate, the second best since 1966. But this meteoric surge was largely slowed down by the pandemic, which forced theaters to close. their doors in 2020 and then in 2021.
[communiqué] 96 million tickets sold in cinemas in 2021: a dynamic recovery, accentuated at the end of the year.https: //t.co/JYqqUCoXHG pic.twitter.com/4wwCSocr7n
– The CNC (@LeCNC) December 30, 2021
However, since the gradual reopening of French cinemas since May 19, things have improved. According to non-final figures shared by the national cinema center, more than 96 million tickets were sold in 2021. This represents an increase of 47% compared to 2020. Dominique Boutonnat, President of the CNC, declared in a press release:
“At the end of the year, we can be delighted with a good dynamic of recovery in our cinemas, which responded present and have adapted particularly well to all the measures taken to contain the pandemic. Indeed, despite four and a half months of closure and restrictive health measures, attendance reached 96 million admissions. The spectators returned to the theaters and discovered a rich and varied offer. ”
Note that in the winners of the year, it is December that wins the prize with no less than 20.43 million admissions. It must be said that the program was busy for the last month of the year, especially with the release of Matrix 4 and especially Spider-Man: No Way Home which is a hit all over the world.
French cinema holds up
But these excellent results are not only attributed to American films. Indeed, French creation offers itself a good share of the pie, 40.8% of the market. 39.9 million tickets sold therefore for films from France, including Kaamelott: first part. Alexandre Astier’s film confirms its leading position with 2.7 million admissions. A great success for the first film in a saga that promises to be emulated. Then, BAC Nord took second place just ahead of Tuches 4 and OSS 117: Red Alert in Black Africa.
Spider-Man: No Way Home biggest hit in France
Nevertheless, in the overall ranking, it is mainly foreign films that prevail. Not surprisingly, Spider-Man: No Way Home is the only film of the year to surpass 5 million admissions. Dying Can Wait, the last installment of the saga with Daniel Craig, for its part attracted no less than 4 million spectators, against 3.2 for Dune. Kaamelott and Bac Nord bring up the rear with 2.7 and 2.2 million admissions respectively.
2022 under the best auspices?
This end of the year, particularly the month of December which recorded close to normal attendance, is rather encouraging for all players in the sector. Especially since the offer should not decrease in the coming months, many films are on the program for this 2022 vintage. We can in particular mention The Batman, which promises to bring together many curious and fans of the first hours of the Dark Knight . Note also that one of the biggest successes of the 7th art will make a comeback at the end of the year, James Cameron will finally unveil the second part of Avatar, 10 years after the first film. We will therefore have many opportunities to plunge into the dark and make a web!
