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The number of moviegoers in France fell by nearly 70% in 2020, according to the latest figures. This is due to the lengthy closures and restrictions imposed throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. For French cinema owners, unsure whether they will reopen in January, the situation is at the breaking point.
In its annual report released on Wednesday, the National Cinema Center (CNC) revealed that due to lockdowns and restrictions caused by the Covid-19 crisis, the number of people going to the cinema in France fell by 69, 4% in France. 2020.
That means just 65.10 million admissions compared to 213.07 admissions in 2019 – in a country where going to the movies is one of the country’s favorite pastimes.
“The year 2020 was marked by the Covid-19 pandemic which led to the closure of cinemas for two closures, totaling 162 days in total,” the report said.
On average, each year since 2010, the CNC claims that around twenty films attract at least two million viewers. This year, only three films made it: Principle by Christopher Nolan (2.3 million), 1917 by Sam Mendes (2.2 million) and Sonic by Jeff Fowler (2.1 million).
“Twelve films have managed to attract over a million viewers, compared to 50 films in the last decade. No film has managed to achieve more than three million admissions in 2020.”
French films saw their audiences decline slightly less than American blockbusters and films of other nationalities: -60.7%, against -76.7% and -69.4% respectively.
This is mainly due to the slowdown in the production and distribution of American films since the start of the pandemic, many of which have resorted to online platforms for new releases.
French cinema is ahead of the American market
In 2020, French films recorded 29.2 million viewers, more than their American counterparts which garnered 26.6 million admissions.
“This has not happened since 2006,” said the CNC, adding that the market share of French films had recorded 44.9% in 2020, higher than American films (40.8%) and those of ‘other origins (14.3%).
For French cinema owners, however, the crisis is far from over, with an industry in arms from the extended shutdown, until at least January 7.
Prime Minister Jean Castex Last Wednesday justified the decision to keep museums, theaters and cinemas closed after December 15, when they were supposed to reopen due to the ever-increasing number of Covid infections.
In an open letter posted on Twitter, he said he “understood the anger and discouragement” felt by representatives of cultural industries in France.
He stressed that the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot was preparing a new proposal for the coming months, which would examine the possibility of a gradual reopening of the premises until the epidemic was brought under control.
With 2,000 theaters across the country, the future of the big screen, which has attracted an average of 200 million spectators per year for ten years, is in peril.
A small hope on the horizon for the industry lies in the proposal for a European rule to force online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney + to contribute to national film industries and local creative development.
Bachelot says it could be worth 150 to 200 million euros per year to support the French film industry.
(with AFP)
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