It had been more than twenty years since French cinema had experienced such a low level of attendance. Just over 13 million spectators in March 2022. And even if covid-19 has damaged the seventh art, the purchasing power of the French is also at half mast because of the war in Ukraine. And de facto, small leisure activities are restricted, notes Jean-Edouard Criquioche, boss of the grand forum cinemas in Dieppe (Seine-Maritime), Louviers and Gaillon (Eure).
Decline in attendance in March
“The spectator today, whatever his salary, so I’m not talking about monstrous salaries of course, well he has his fixed charges, his rent, his insurance. And when next to that the energy bills increase, the shopping cart explodes, the fat that the family had, they no longer have it to go out“, emphasizes Jean-Edouard Criquioche.
In its eurois cinemas, there were 35% less admissions in March. “This is what is happening at the national level and yet there we have the films“, adds Jean-Edouard Criquioche. “It’s true that we have become accustomed to online video platforms since confinement. It’s hard to come back to the cinema“, explains Bérangère.
The films are not lacking, What have we all done to God, Notre-Dame is burning, Fantastic Beasts. And then the releases of the next Top Gun and the latest Marvel are eagerly awaited to reboost theaters.