Press Release

Strasbourg, 2 May 2002

2001 Was a Flourishing Year for the European Film Market

• The number of feature films produced in the European Union has increased by 5 %
• The number of admissions has increased by 9 %. Growth was also important in most of the European countries not Members of the Union.
• The market share in the European Union of film produced in Europe has increased by 8 %.

Increase in production

Determining with precision the number of films produced in Europe is a difficult task, due the risk of double-counting co-productions. On the basis of available data, the European Audiovisual Observatory estimates that 625 feature films were produced in 2001, as opposed to 595 in 2000. Growth in production volume comes principally from France, where 172 films classed as `French initiative' were produced in 2001, as opposed to 145 in 2000. The increase in production levels in Germany is also noteworthy (50 films 100% national against 47 films in 2000 and 33 co-productions as opposed to 28 in 2000 (from 76 films including co-productions in 2000 to 83 in 2001), as is that in Spain (86 films as opposed to 77 in 2000), in Portugal (11 films as opposed to 7 in 2000), and in Greece (18 films against 16 in 2000). On the contrary, production levels shrank noticeably in Italy (90 features of Italian initiative as opposed to 96 in 2000), in Sweden (25 films against 38), in Austria (an estimated 13 films against 17 in 2000), in Belgium (an estimated 12 against 22 in 2000). In the United Kingdom production levels remained stable but the year 2001 was marked by a very steep drop in American investment, with only three US films shooting in Britain as opposed to 11 US films the previous year.

There were also significant changes in the area of production costs. British films remain those with the highest budgets: the average budget for a feature went from GBP 4.8M to GBP 5.8M, an increase of 20.9% (or in Euro, from EUR 7.8M to EUR 9.6M, an increase of 22%). Budgets for Italian films also grew in significant manner (from EUR 2.1M to EUR 2.9M, an increase of 29%). In France, on the contrary, the average budget dropped to EUR 4.36 M (as opposed to EUR 4.68M in 2000, a decrease of 6%).

Attendance increases steeply

Total admissions to cinemas in the European Union experienced strong growth (+9.4%) in 2001. At 920 million admissions, the European Union regains a level of attendance similar to that of the early 1980's. Attendance was up in almost all countries, with the strongest growth in Germany (+16.7%), in Denmark (+11.5%), in France (+11.4%) and in the Netherlands (+11.2%). Finland is the only country to have registered a significant drop (-8.5%), which would appear to be explained by an increase in tickets prices and the absence of high-profile local films during the first six months of the year.

European films gain market share

According to European Audiovisual Observatory estimates, market share for European films in the European Union market rose to 31.1%, a net improvement in relation to 2000 (22.8%). This is essentially due to the success of local films on their own markets (for which the increase in admissions is of around 27% in relation to 2000), but also due to important growth in admissions to European films outside their national markets (for which we estimate growth as being more than 21%).

Table 1: Admissions in the European Union (1997-2001) - In Millions (Data in italics are estimates)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory

Table 2: Admissions in European countries non-Members of the European Union (1997-2001) - In millions

Source : European Audiovisual Observatory

Table 3: Market share of films distributed in the European Union (1996-2001)

Source : European Audiovisual Observatory

Graph 1: Breakdown of admissions in the European Union according to the origin of films (2001)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory

Table 4: Admissions to films in distribution in the European Union in 2001

Provisory ranking on the basis of available data in 11 countries (around 80 % of admissions analysed)

Source: European Audiovisual Observatory - Database LUMIERE (http://lumiere.obs.coe.int)

Table 5: Admissions to European films in distribution in the European Union (2001)

Provisory ranking on the basis of data available in 11 countries (around 80 % of admissions analysed)

(1) 4 998 458 admissions in the European Union in 2000
Source: European Audiovisual Observatory - Database LUMIERE (http://lumiere.obs.coe.int)

Contact: Dr. André Lange- Tel.: +33 (0) 3 90 21 60 00 - E-mail: Andre.LANGE@coe.int
Contact press: Markus Booms - Tel.: +33 (0) 3 90 21 60 06 - E-mail: Markus.BOOMS@coe.int

The European Audiovisual Observatory will be present at the Cannes Market at booth n° A4 - Tel. +33 (0) 4 92 99 88 30

The European Audiovisual Observatory has also edited the fifth edition of FOCUS 2002. World Film Market Trends, published by the Cannes Market. This publication will be distributed to all participants to the Cannes Market.
Contact press for this publication : Corinne Koszczanski (tel. +33 (0)1 42 55 55 72).

Set up in December 1992, the European Audiovisual Observatory's goal is to gather and distribute information on the audiovisual industry in Europe. The Observatory is a European public service body comprised of 35 member states and the European Community. It operates within the legal framework of the Council of Europe and it works alongside a number of partner organisations, professional organisations from within the industry and a network of correspondents. In addition to its contribution in conferences other major activities are the publication of statistics and newsletters, compilation of databases and information readily available on the web portal.