French cinema shines abroad, and not only during the Cannes festival. In any case, this is the observation of Unifrance, the organization in charge of promoting French cinema and audiovisuals internationally. If cinema attendance in France has returned to its pre-covid level with more than 19 million tickets in April, it is also true outside our borders.
27 million admissions (+51.8%) and more than 167 million euros in revenue (47.7%): the year 2022 outside of France was more successful for French films than the year 2021. And the Film Festival Cannes, which will last until May 27, should further push the reputation of our cinema beyond borders. During these ten days, “our mission is to make people talk about it, to make it exist” with the press and international buyers, explains Daniela Elstner, CEO of Unifrance, a guest of BFM Business.
Comedies and animated movies.
YES blockbusters like The Three Musketeers EITHER Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom are exported well, they are the same comedies, which represent almost 40% of all films seen abroad, and animated films, which occupy the top positions of the ranking, with respectively 40% and 24.5% of total entries abroad in 2022.
With no less than seven films that exceed one million admissions, French cinema abroad is booming. Leading the way, comedy. What the hell have we all done?, with 1.82 million tickets, spread over 15 territories, for no less than 14.5 million euros in turnover. Daniela Elstner counts “more than 150 films that travel all the time”. With some favorite destinations, Western Europe in the lead.
France wants to surf in streaming
The arrival of streaming platforms has created “a new circle” according to the CEO of Unifrance and “has opened up possibilities.” Although some films no longer appear in theaters, because they are produced by platforms and for platforms, Daniela Elstner wants to remain positive: “when we think of Omar Sy in Lupine (Netflix), which also makes movies like skirmisherswhich then comes out all over the world, gives us a certain promotion”. On their scale, streaming platforms contribute to the influence of French cinema abroad.
Geopolitics also has a role to play in the distribution of films in theaters outside our borders. Since the beginning of the war, “we have placed a lot of emphasis on the Ukraine,” explains Daniela Elstner. There, the operators try to maintain a rich cultural offer. The surprise comes from the side of the Ukrainian aggressor. Russia, with 2.55 million tickets in 2022, ranks third in the ranking, only behind Germany (2.82 million tickets) and Poland (2.64 million tickets). Nothing very surprising for Unifrance: “many films, for Russia, were sold before the war, so some are still being released.”
With, in addition, nominations at the most important film festivals in the world, including a Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize for Saint Omer from Alice Diop to the Venice Film Festival, French cinema abroad continues to shine.
Source: BFM TV
