2015 Report on the Performance of French Films Abroad

24 NOVEMBER 2016

For the third time in just four years, French films crossed the 100 million spectators mark in international theaters in 2015. With 111.4 million admissions registered and €622.8 million generated, 2015 ranks as the third most successful year for French cinema outside the home market in more than twenty years.

Despite a 7.3% decline in overall movie attendance figures compared to 2014, French-language films and productions initiated by France put in a highly positive performance. Attracting more than 100 million spectators outside France, French-majority films account for 92.7% of admissions—representing a record high since the early 2000s. Admissions to French-language films rose by 31% over 2014, registering 45.6 million spectators around the world. 40.9% of admissions to French films abroad in 2015 were generated by French-language productions, which falls short of the average figure of 43.6% over the past ten years. And, in an unprecedented development, French releases garnered more admissions abroad than in the home market for the second consecutive year, registering 55.1% of ticket sales in foreign theaters.

French animated films hit a peak

What stands out above all in the Top 10 French-majority productions of 2015—a collection of titles that reflects a great diversity of genres represented, including thrillers, comedies, dramas, and documentaries—is the success of animated films. Capturing 19.4% of overall admissions and counting three films among the ten best-performing titles of the year, French animated productions enjoyed a record year in 2015. The standout hit The Little Prince takes 2nd place in the annual charts, with 15.1 million admissions to its credit, and now ranks as the most successful French animated film of the past twenty years. Combined with the excellent results of Asterix - The Mansion of the Gods, Mune, and Yellowbird, this record high sends a strong reminder of the dynamism and savoir-faire in the French animated film sector at this time.

The leading titles in 2015 also include the 3rd installment in the Taken saga, which dominates the statistics having attracted 39.5% of all admissions to French films in this period. Behind The Little Prince, the French-majority production shot in English The Transporter Legacy completes the Top 3 titles. Comedies proved popular, with the notable global success of The Bélier Family and the continued run of the already record-breaking hit Serial (Bad) Weddings. The Top 10 performers in 2015 include Samba, Beauty and the Beast, and The Salt of the Earth, which once again illustrates the wide-ranging styles and genres and the diversity of audiences attracted to French cinema in foreign markets.

2015 was also marked by the excellent performance of French films at international film festivals: Dheepan won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, where Emmanuelle Bercot and Vincent Lindon picked up Best Actress and Best Actor Awards; Fabrice Luchini also won Best Actor honors at Venice; and Mother(s) picked up the Best Short Film Prize in Toronto. And to top it off, among the 81 films presented as possible candidates for the Oscar for Best Foreign-Language Film, the French multi-award-winning production Mustang was selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of the five finalists for the award.

Downloadable documents
Free access: Report Summary
Reserved for UniFrance members: Full Report (including box office results, TV broadcasts, export information for feature films and short films)

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