In mid-October, I walked past a movie theater near my home. There have been no queues in front of it for a long time. Individual visitors go directly inside, and it’s not as crowded as it often was before the corona pandemic.
I myself haven’t been to a cinema since 2019. France produces 300 new films every year, and among them there has always been something interesting to watch – in addition to the big American productions.
The reason for my film reflections was an interview I heard on the France Inter radio channel. Director of Pathé Theatres Jérôme Seydoux regretted that only 7.3 million tickets were sold in cinemas in September.
It is the lowest number since 1980, when corona years are not taken into account. It is said that September is always a difficult month, but still this was a record and part of a trend that has been going on for longer.
National Film and Animation Center according to the survey, 38 percent of French people have simply lost their cinema-going routine, 26 percent have switched to watching their movies on streaming services, and 23 percent are simply no longer interested in the movies on offer.
In addition, 36 percent state that ticket prices are too high. With prices rising everywhere, you can save on movies. In a Finnish way, the ticket prices are cheap, as daytime shows are typically seven euros. The most expensive tickets are 10–12 euros.
According to statistics, before the corona virus, the French went to the movies once a week, and the most enthusiastic went to the movies a couple of times a week. So the restaurants and bars near the theaters had special movie discounts, public transport and parking garages had special prices for moviegoers, and even the telephone connection shop had the option of buying a movie ticket at a discount once a week.
Now you rarely see these.
Although the French state heavily supports the film industry – the “seventh art form” as they say here – the drastically reduced box office receipts have a direct impact on film production.
Filmmakers are indeed worried about their future. About 200,000 people work in the industry, for whom the steady pace of production has guaranteed continuity. Because France has a long and honorable tradition in filmmaking, the industry has always been popular.
Many films do not appeal to young people in particular, Franceinfo’s story suggests. They’ve returned to the cinemas better than middle-aged people like me, but can’t find anything to watch. On the other hand, it is enough in streaming services.
Therefore, the solution to the problems of the film industry could be to produce other kinds of films and to turn attention to productions made for streaming services as well.
And as for us for older people, most of the new movies fail to inspire.
– The audience feels as if they have already seen the new films before, says the producer Grégory Levasseur In the Franceinfo story.
– As a viewer, I would like something other than boring dramas or fake comedies.
Exactly. And besides, the movie experience should be changed. Especially the small halls in multiplex theaters are no longer attractive when you have a television almost as big at home and you can watch a movie in your own company when and how you want.
It’s no wonder that Netflix and Amazon Prime have gained almost five million new subscribers in France in recent years. Disney’s streaming service has received 2.5 million.
In small theaters showing more artistic and special films, the loss of audience has not been so great, so in this sense, France still holds its place as a great film country.
Jari
Read below what has been talked about in Europe in the last few days. The tips were compiled by a colleague Alina Mäkynen.
Twitter: Italy’s right-wing government wants to hand over the thugs
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT announced this week its intentions to define the organization of unauthorized machine music raves as a crime. Prime minister by Giorgia Meloni the right-wing government would like to send party organizers to prison for up to six years.
Opposition politicians criticized the law on social media. The leader of the center-left Democratic Party Enrico Lettan from the opinion (you switch to another service) the law endangers the rights of citizens. Board partner of Melon Matteo Salvini assured that the government is not going to back down from its plans.
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GERMAN CHANCELLOR Olaf Scholz meet the president today Xi Jinping on its export promotion trip in China. Scholz’s visit has awakened criticism (you move to another service) In EU countries that would like to implement a common and even stronger China line. Chancellor defended (you switch to another service) his trip and said he discussed his trip with the US and France. Also in Finland, the former prime minister has turned his eyes to China.
ON MONDAY euro group meets (you switch to another service) To Brussels to discuss the economy of the Eurozone. Minister of Italy Giancarlo Giorgetti the political priorities of the new Italian government are to be presented at the meeting. This is done in the group every time a euro country gets a new government.
TUESDAY the finance ministers continue their meetings in the Economic and Financial Affairs Council. On the agenda (you switch to another service) at least the Ukrainian war is a constant topic. It’s Friday’s turn budget meeting (you switch to another service)where the Council tries to agree on next year’s EU budget with the European Parliament.
PRIME MINISTER OF SWEDEN Ulf Kristersson may visit Turkey on Tuesday, if the dates announced by the Turkish media hold true. Kristersson himself has said that he will travel to meet the president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the near future. Sweden – and at the same time Finland – hopes that Erdoğan will stop blocking the countries’ NATO applications.
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