European Cinema Operators Facing Pivotal Year – Study
variety.comPatrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefEuropean cinemas bounced back strongly in 2021 after a miserable COVID-hit 2020. They are capable of returning to 2019 levels, says the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) in its annual report, but they are not there yet.
UNIC represents cinema trade associations and cinema operators in 39 countries in Europe and neighboring regions. Publication of its annual report was scheduled to coincide with the CineEurope convention of exhibitors and distributors now taking place in Barcelona, Spain (June 20-23,2022).European cinema admissions increased by an estimated 36% in 2021, with almost 590 million visits across the region.
Box office reached €3.7 billion ($3.92 billion), an increase of 41% on the previous year. This was achieved when most screens across the region were shut for the first six months of the year and operated for the remainder under limited occupancy or other additional restrictions.
Across the EU countries, European films accounted for a 26.5% share of the market, fractionally up from the 25.7% figure in 2019, but down from the 39.5% share in 2020.
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