In partnership with The Biz and Tech Lab
Benoît Danard, head of research, statistics and prospective at the CNC, started by presenting the French Market : 2008 was a great year for Cinema in France with more than 200 million admissions and a 5.7% increase due to the film offer, to renovated screening facilities, and – not to forget – the economic crisis (which, as we know, pushes people into cinemas either for them to take a break or because “they cannot afford to go on vacation” …). But it’s also the year of the “Sticks” and its 20 million admission …
The market share of French Films was at 37,1% : 18 films made more than 1 million admissions (4 of them making more than 3 million admission), and 38 made more than 500 000 admission. Finally, 20% of the french films are responsible for 80% of admissions (yes yes … it’s Pareto who told us…). Concerning Spanish films released in France, the market share is about 1-2%, with 13 unedited films released in 2008 (on the 90 released). The Spanish co-productions did about 10% of admissions; knowing that it includes Astérix… It is important to underline that there was a set back in investments of 26,3% in 2009, and to mention the 3 coproductions in 2008 with budgets of almost 40 million euros such as Océans from Jacques Perrin (currently in French theatres – magnificient film…) and the two Arthurs from Luc Besson.
93 films were produced with almost 30 countries : 40,4% of approved films are coproductions, and 24,7% of films from French Initiative (FIF) are also coprodcutions. Majority Coproductions with Spain are declining, whereas minority co-productions are increasing (thus more financial coproductions vs artistic ones…)…. Spain is the 9th export market for French Films, a setback vs 2007. 3,7% of exportation revenues of French films come from Spain… whcih gives us a pretty grim vision of the MG’s value on this territory…
Then, Pedro Perez, President of FAPAE (Spanish producer’s association), did a rather pessimistic observation of franco-spanish Cinema… In 2009, 111 Spanish films were produced, out of which 39 were coproductions, and 116 were released in Cinemas. The market share of Spanish films is 16% (13% in 2008)with a box office increase of 20% vs 2008 (518 million euros for the Total Spanish Box office, including 494 million euros for foreign films)… Only 3 films made more than 1 million admissions (and only one made more than 3 million – Alejandro Amenabar’s Agora with a production budget of 50 million euros). The problem with Spanish films is that they make more money abroad than on the national territory… Juan A. Bayona’s The Orphenage (Sales Agent : Wild Bunch) and Jaume Balaguero et Paco Plaza’s REC (Sales Agent : Filmax) are the Spanish movies that fared the best in number of territories sold, followed by Vicky Cristina Barcelona from Woody Allen (Sales Agent : Wild Bunch).
Concerning French Cinema in Spain, its market share is 2,2% with only 7 French films , 10 bilateral coproductions, and 3 trilateral… Daniel Monzon’s Celda 211 co-produced by Spanish Morena Films, Vaca Films and French producers La Fabrique de films, (sold by Films Distribution) was the most prolific with 16 nominations at the Goyas. It is certain that the revision of the cinema law is one of the consequences of the number of films co-produced (as producers are blind concerning the year to come…). As of the 1st of January 2010, publicity will disappear from public television – just like in France – et the two private operators Telecinco and Antena 3 will share 90% of publicity revenues. Pedro Perez used the metaphor of a house in construction in order to talk of the cinema law… we have to wait for everything to be done before starting to plan things… :-/
Ignasi Guardans continued by mentioning that the Cinema law can only be put in application once some of the application decrees will be approved y Brussels, notably : the general law on audiovisual means imposing the participation of private and public televisual networks in the financing of content, and the (r)evolution of Spanish radio. The changes to come will cover: the funding programmes for scriptwriting, animation production, TV film production, public/professional new technology training (hooray!!)
Many films have not received the necessary production funding; thus creating a discrimination between two types of films: “Commercial” films and “Authors films”, which need to be treated differently as the stakes and expected outcomes do not serve the same purposes… He insisted on the fact that “smaller” films should receive more attention (hooray!). There is a real willingness from the Spanish government to support international co-productions. The other important modification will be to consider as a Spanish spend, expenses carried out abroad (we can raise Spanish funds and sepnd them in France or the UK). All in all, Ignasi Guardans confirmed the interest of Spain to establish a coproduction mini-treaty (such as the existing French-German)…
