After two more difficult years due to the pandemic and health rules that led to the temporary closure of many theaters, the Quebec film industry recovered in 2022, despite an imposed five-week closure. at the very beginning of the year.
According to the most recent data released by Cinéac, an agency that compiles the receipts of films shown on screens in the province, cinema admissions in Quebec totaled $122,247,436 last year, more than the results for 2021 and 2020. combined. For these years, hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, cinema ticket sales totaled just over 72.2 million and 45.1 million respectively.
These encouraging results, however, are a far cry from the highs reached in previous years, when in 2019, before the pandemic, the cumulative box office exceeded 176.7 million in the province, 3.7 million more than in 2018. Over the last decade, it was in 2013 that receipts for Quebec cinemas were the highest, with a total of 191.4 million.
“Audiences have been strong in our cinemas, particularly between September and November, when we have seen a notable increase in attendance in theaters compared to the first two years of the pandemic”, confirmed Roxanne Sayegh, general manager. Beaubien, du Parc and du Musée cinemas in Montreal.
“The fall was very, very strong, not only for box office revenue, but for recorded monthly revenue. There has really been marked growth,” she added.
American films dominate Quebec productions
In 2022, 352 films were shown in Quebec cinemas, compared to 302 the previous year.
American productions continue to dominate the Quebec box office, to the detriment of films made here. Indeed, the market share of films produced in our southern neighbors has increased from 71.7% in 2021 to 83.2% in 2022; that of these Quebec films fell by 5%, from 12.4% to 7.3% during the same period.
Disney remains the most prolific distributor in Quebec cinemas in 2022, with 22.42% of the market share. The film Avatar: the way of water has accumulated, since its release on December 16, more than 8.3 million in revenue, making it the second most-watched film in theaters in the province in 2022, behind Top Gun: Maverick, which generated $11.4 million. Disney’s other offerings, including the newest installments of the series Thor, Doctor Strange, Black Pantheralso did well.
Quebec film December 23 nevertheless managed to carve out a place among the 20 most-watched feature films of 2022, despite a late November 25 release. This production distributed by Immina Films generated receipts of 1.75 million, ending in 18e front row Lightyear (Disney) and The Bad Guys (Universal).
Outraged December 23alone confessions broke the million mark at the box office among Quebec productions.
“We had very buoyant titles, rejoices Mme Sayegh. In our cinemas, where we do not show American films, the market share of Quebec films is the highest in Quebec, with 38% of tickets sold. »
This dispatch was produced with financial assistance from the Meta Exchange and The Canadian Press for News.