29/12/2017 - With three titles in the annual top 10, French productions have pulled in the viewers in comparison with US blockbusters

With 2017 drawing to a close, a year in which French cinemas were very well attended, there was a demonstrable appetite on the behalf of viewers for theatrical releases, far from satiated, despite the prophecies abandoning them to consumerism on digital platforms and the current popularity of TV series. 16 French films recorded more than one million admissions for the year, a solid performance all round. It must also be noted that the large number of films being screened each week at cinemas has led to an accelerated rotation, which has ultimately negatively affected films that tend to get off to a slow start. The gap between success and failure is now extremely evident, and figures that were once considered to be average are now considered a success given the brutality of the market. Some good quality films have also struggled to find the right combination of outputs to live up to their potential, as both distributors and operators are seeking to minimise the elevated risks of underperformance. Nevertheless, despite the harsh climate, French cinemas remain a unique home for films from around the world, and national productions can count on a faithful audience that is still receptive to the collective magic of the cinema screen.

In first and second place on the podium at the box office for 2017 are two American blockbusters: the animated title Despicable Me 3 (5.63 million admissions - distribution: Universal Pictures International France) and Star Wars - The Last Jedi (5.34 million admissions - The Walt Disney Company France). Followed by two French films: RAID Dingue [+see also:
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film profile] by Dany Boon (4.57 million viewers - Pathé Distribution) and Valerian [+see also:
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film profile] by Luc Besson (4.04 - EuropaCorp Distribution).

In eight place for 2017 is the French comedy Alibi.com [+see also:
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film profile] by Philippe Lacheau (3.58 million admissions - StudioCanal), however the rest of the Top 10 is exclusively composed of American feature films.

Two others French comedies in the top 20 are C'est La Vie! [+see also:
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film profile] by the duo Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano (2.98 million admissions - Gaumont) and Épouse-moi mon pote [+see also:
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film profile] by Tarek Boudali (2,46 - StudioCanal).

A further eleven French films exceeded one million admissions this year, including See You Up There [+see also:
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film profile] by Albert Dupontel (1.94 - Gaumont), L'école buissonnière [+see also:
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film profile] by Nicolas Vanier (1.86 - StudioCanal), the French co-production Seven Sisters [+see also:
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film profile] by the Finnish director Tommy Wirkola (1.86 million admissions - SND),  Il a déjà tes yeux [+see also:
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film profile] by Lucien Jean-Baptiste (1.39 - UGC Distribution), A Bag of Marbles [+see also:
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film profile] by Christian Duguay (1.31 - Gaumont), Rock'n Roll [+see also:
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film profile] by Guillaume Canet (1.29 - Pathé), Christmas & Co [+see also:
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film profile] by Alain Chabat (1.28 - Gaumont), Patients [+see also:
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film profile] by Grand Corps Malade and Mehdi Idir (1.22 - Gaumont), L'Ascension [+see also:
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film profile] by Ludovic Bernard (1.13 -Mars Films), the animated film Sahara by Pierre Coré (1.11 - StudioCanal), A bras ouverts [+see also:
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film profile] by Philippe de Chauveron (1.02 - SND) and Le Brio [+see also:
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film profile] by Yvan Attal (1.00 - Pathé).

Note the theatrical impact of French films launched at Cannes, such as the Grand Prix winner BPM (Beats Per Minute) [+see also:
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interview: Arnaud Valois
interview: Robin Campillo
film profile] by Robin Campillo (811,000 admissions - Memento Films Distribution), Just To Be Sure [+see also:
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film profile] by Carine Tardieu (670,000 - SND), Bloody Milk [+see also:
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interview: Hubert Charuel
film profile] by Hubert Charuel (510,000 - Pyramide), The Double Lover [+see also:
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film profile] by François Ozon (387,000 - Mars Films), Ismael's Ghosts [+see also:
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Q&A: Arnaud Desplechin
film profile] by Arnaud Desplechin (385,000 - Le Pacte), Barbara [+see also:
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film profile] by Mathieu Amalric (362,000 - Gaumont) as well as the documentary Visages Villages [+see also:
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film profile] by Agnès Varda and JR (233,000 - Le Pacte).

Among the French films that exceeded half a million viewers are Marie-Francine [+see also:
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film profile] by Valérie Lemercier (889,000 admissions - Gaumont), Les nouvelles aventures de Cendrillon [+see also:
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film profile] by Lionel Steketee (810,000 - Pathé), Dalida [+see also:
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film profile] by Liza Azuelos(770,000 admissions - Pathé), Jalouse [+see also:
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film profile] by David and Stéphane Foenkinos (745,000 - StudioCanal), Back to Burgundy [+see also:
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film profile] by Cédric Klapisch (730,000 - StudioCanal), The Midwife [+see also:
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interview: Martin Provost
film profile] by Martin Provost (700,000 - Memento Films), Knock [+see also:
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film profile] by Lorraine Levy (543,000 - Mars Films) and two animated films: The Jungle Bunch 3D [+see also:
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film profile] by David Alaux (693,000 - SND) and Big Bad Fox [+see also:
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film profile] by Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert (663,000 admissions - StudioCanal). All without forgetting the four feature films distributed by EuropaCorp: Carbon [+see also:
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film profile] by Olivier Marchal (711,000 viewers), Room(H)ates [+see also:
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film profile] by Dominique Farrugia (652,000), Sales gosses [+see also:
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film profile] by Frédéric Quiring (650,000) and CoeXister [+see also:
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film profile] by Fabrice Eboué (648,000).

Finally, in terms of non-national European works, of note are the British productions Paddington 2 [+see also:
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film profile] by Paul King (961,000 - StudioCanal) and Baby Driver [+see also:
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film profile] by Edgar Wright (837,000 admissions - Sony Pictures Releasing), the animated Belgian film The Son of Bigfoot [+see also:
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interview: Ben Stassen
film profile] by Ben Stassen and Jérémie Degruson (642,000 - StudioCanal), The Nile Hilton Incident [+see also:
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interview: Tarik Saleh
film profile] by Swedish director Tarik Saleh (380,000 - Memento Films Distribution), the Palme d'Or winner The Square [+see also:
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interview: Ruben Östlund
film profile] by Ruben Ostlund (339,000 - Bac Films Distribution), The Other Side of Hope [+see also:
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Q&A: Aki Kaurismäki
film profile] by the Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki (223,000 - Diaphana Distribution) and two Spanish films: the animated film Ozzy [+see also:
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film profile] by Alberto Rodriguez (246,000 - ARP Sélection) and thriller May God Save Us [+see also:
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interview: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
film profile] by Rodrigo Sorogoyen (200,000 - Le Pacte).

(Translated from French)