While several films are released in theaters on Tuesday November 1 in an attempt to fill up on this All Saints holiday, the situation of cinema in France is not “not catastrophic”, says Richard Patry. On franceinfo, the president of the National Federation of French Cinemas wants to be positive after the latest figures revealed at the start of the school year.
In September 2022, the National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) unveiled an unequivocal report: the movie theater French experienced a black September with 7.32 million admissions recorded. Unheard of since the 1980s and the beginning of statistics, with the exception of 2020 (because of Covid-19). Part of the profession, worried about the future of a financing system that is unique in the world, called on Thursday, October 6 for “States General.”
“The level of attendance is low, but not that catastrophic”relativizes Richard Patry. “Since the beginning of the year, there have been almost 120 million spectators who have come to the theaters. Admittedly, this is much less than in 2019. But finally! We have recovered more than 70% of the spectators” after the Covid-19 crisis.
The president of the National Federation of French Cinemas would like to remind you that the 7th art remains “the most popular hobby” and that France is still a model in Europe. To win more customers, and cope with ever more powerful video on demand (VOD) platforms, you have to create “the click”, assures Richard Patry, without giving either a miracle solution. On the other hand, he cites awareness campaign put in place by its federation with the government, to try to attract spectators again.
The price of cinema tickets, which increases every year, to settle at 7 euros on average in 2021, according to a study by the CNC, is also a brake in this period of consumer price inflation. But it should not put off the spectators, claims Richard Patry who affirms that in each cinema, via subscriptions, reduced prices, “there are plenty of ways to pay less for cinema.”