The French National Centre of Cinema (CNC) has recently published the state of the cinema attendance in France. The Yard teams worked on three top performers ! ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is part of the national TOP 10 releases. ‘Father and Soldier’ is ranked #7 and ‘Second Tour’ #13 of the TOP 15 French films.
The recent report from The French National Center of Cinema (CNC) reveals that in 2023, French cinema experienced a robust resurgence. Registering 180.76 million admissions, this is an impressive rebound with just a 13.1% deviation from the historically high averages of 2017-2019. Notably, 2023 marked the first post-pandemic year without cinema-related health restrictions. Globally, France stands out as one of the territories with the most dynamic cinema recovery.
The top 10 films of 2023
This trend highlights the enduring preference of the French population for the cinema experience and their appetite for a diverse film lineup.
In 2023, the market share of French films remained high at 39.8%, representing only a marginal 7.0% dip compared to the 2017-2019 average. On the other hand, American productions attracted 74.7 million viewers, holding a market share of 41.3%. However, this represented a significant 25.8% decline from pre-crisis levels. Indeed, the reduced output of American films, impacted by the Hollywood strikes and the ongoing pandemic, is evident with 81 releases in 2023, down from 127 in the 2017-2019 yearly average.
At The Yard, we are delighted to see ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘ as part of France’s 2023 Top 10 theatrical releases. With more than 2.88 million admissions, the film confirmed its leading position following the great results on its release day and during its first weekend. France undeniably loves Indiana Jones, and as a French VFX studio, we are even prouder to be part of this exceptional project.
The Return of Major French Productions
In 2023, French cinema showcased its strength and vitality in theaters with a wide variety of works that resonated with the audience. Three major productions are part of the top 10, and nine other productions have garnered more than a million admissions. The list includes Mathieu Vadepied’s ‘Father and Soldier‘, for which our teams at The Yard had the great pleasure to work on the VFX. Less than a month after its release, the film became the first French production to surpass 1 million admissions.
Additionally, as reported by the French trade media Ecran Total, 20 French films have registered between 500,000 and 1 million admissions. We are extremely pleased that Albert Dupontel’s ‘Second Tour‘ is the top-ranked in this category, making it the 13th best-performing French theatrical release in 2023, with close to 980,000 admissions.
At The Yard VFX, we couldn’t be prouder to witness the success of these amazing films, for which our teams contributed. We warmly congratulate our clients on these superb results.
Read the full report published by the CNC by clicking here.