Based on preliminary data the European Audiovisual Observatory estimates that cinema attendance in the European Union and the United Kingdom plummeted to 294.7 million admissions in 2020.

• This is 712.3 million ticket sales fewer than in 2019, representing a decline of 70.7%.
• A similar decrease (69.8%) was registered in the European Union only (EU27), where admissions dropped from 831.0 million to 250.7 million, for a total loss of 580.3 million tickets.
• Taking into account other European territories outside the EU and the UK, admissions plunged by 68.7% in 2020, falling from 1.4 billion to 411.9 million.

This staggering decline is clearly the result of the COVID-19 crisis, as the prolonged closure of cinemas across Europe, coupled with other restrictive measures, took a heavy toll on the exhibition sector. The massive crash came after a very positive 2019, when cinema attendance in the EU and UK had crossed the barrier of 1 billion admissions for the first time since 2004.

1. A major plunge in cinema attendance observed in all EU territories

On average, admissions dropped by 68.0% in the EU with only seven market registering a year-on-year decline below 65%: Denmark (-45.5%, -6.0 million admissions), Estonia (-51.2%, -1.9 million), Finland (-53.9%, -4.5 million), the Netherlands (-55.9%, -21.3 million),  Lithuania (-63.1%, -2.6 million), the Slovak Republic (-63.8%, -4.2 million) and Sweden (-64.4%, -10.2 million). The decrease in cinema attendance was significantly above the EU average in Spain (-79.4%, -83.3. million admissions), Cyprus (-79.4%, -0.7 million), Romania (-78.5%, -11.2 million), Slovenia (-77.7%, -0.5 million) and Portugual (-75.7%, -11.8 million).

2. A similar story outside of the EU

Outside of the EU, the UK registered a major downturn in ticket sales which fell by 75.0% to 44.0 million (-132.1 on 2019). Russia recorded by far the largest admissions volume in Europe for 2020 with 88.8 million tickets sold (-59.5% on 2019) as cinemas in the country gradually reopened from July (amid capacity restrictions and depending on regional regulations). In Turkey, ticket sales fell by 70.4% to 17.6 million, down from 59.4 million in 2019.

3. Shortage of US blockbusters produced an increase in national market share

The first available figures suggest that in this exceptional year the shortage of US blockbusters led to an increase in national market share in the majority of European markets compared to 2019. In the EU, Italy recorded the highest national market share with domestic films capturing 55.6% of admissions. Ranking second was Denmark, with a national market share of 50.0%, ahead of the Czech Republic (48.3%) and France (44.9%). Other EU markets with a significant increase in the national market shares include Finland (41.1%), the Slovak Republic (32.8%), Spain (28.8%) and Greece (28.2%).

Outside the EU, Turkey confirmed its leading position in terms of national market share with Turkish films generating 80.0% of admissions in 2020. Russia also saw its national market share increase from 23.1% to 47.9%. Conversely in the UK the national market share (including US studio-backed films) dropped from 48.0% to 44.0%.

4. Top-ranking films in the EU and UK for 2020

Provisional figures confirm that the top-ranking films in the EU and UK for 2020 include 1917 (US/GB), Tenet (US/GB), Sonic: The Hedgehog (US/JP) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (US).

Notes: 

• Data have been collected with the collaboration of the EFARN (European Film Agency Research Network).
• All 2020 figures are provisional.

Our next cinema figures will be released just before the Cannes Film international du film.
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Online workshop 10 December 2020, 15.00-17.30 (CET)

Free registration here

How can Europe ensure better respect of diversity and inclusion in its cinema, television and VOD industries? There has long been a keen awareness of the principles of equality and non-discrimination based on gender, origin, or disabilities enshrined in European media legislation. But more recent social changes, in particular concerning the position of women in the workplace and the #blacklivesmatter development have meant that diversity and inclusion have more recently come into sharper focus. What of the audiovisual industries in Europe? How are we ensuring better D&I in the creative processes of content production? And what about our on-screen representation of society in films, series and other audiovisual content? 

The European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, is organizing this free online public workshop to look at strategies and challenges for increasing diversity and inclusion in the European audiovisual industries: both off-screen and on-screen. Indeed a major new legal report on D&I based on this workshop is planned by the Observatory for spring 2021.

Our first session will examine under-representation behind the camera. What is the situation off-screen? How inclusive is the world of film and television? And what are the good practices for actually measuring the level of diversity and inclusion in these industries? From the perspective of the labour market we will look at themes such as equal employment conditions and training opportunities for minority and under-represented groups.

The second session will focus on the best ways to promote inclusion and non-discrimination on screen/air. Again we will look at best practices for actually measuring the perception of D&I on screen and on air as this must surely be the starting point for any analysis. What are our barometers? We will also look at how film funds encourage broader on-screen diversity as well as look at broadcaster long-term strategies for promoting D&I on air. 
The Observatory will provide its scene setting analysis of the situation in Europe as regards D&I. The conference will be moderated by Maja Cappello, Head of the Observatory’s Department for Legal Information, and her team. 
Observatory Executive Director, Susanne Nikoltchev, said “the time is more than right to address current discussions and best practices on diversity and inclusion in European film, TV and VOD industries. It’s the Observatory’s role to provide a neutral platform for debating challenges and goals by bringing together stakeholders from the various sector and stimulating exchanges on possible future developments. The pandemic has not stopped us in this: we continue online!” 

Workshop speakers will be announced soon.