Summer 2017 proved to be a winning season for French cinema in Japan, with Elle, Agnus Dei / The Innocents, and Cézanne and I, which were first presented in June at the French Film Festival in Yokohama, among titles that were highly popular with movie audiences.
In late June, the French Film Festival in Yokohama gave Tokyo audiences the chance to discover eleven French films presented in preview screenings, accompanied by a sizeable delegation of French actors and directors (including Isabelle Huppert, Paul Verhoeven, Danièle Thompson, Lou De Laâge, and Anne Fontaine, with Catherine Deneuve as festival patron). The extensive media coverage generated by this event undoubtedly contributed to the films' successful commercial release.
- Elle had an excellent opening week, registering a total of 28,000 admissions from 13 screens (distributed by Gaga Corporation), taking the equivalent of €267,500 in ticket sales. As a result, its circulation was expanded to include 11 additional screens in its second week.
- Agnus Dei / The Innocents, which won the Air France Audience Prize at the festival, also attracted 28,000 spectators after its release on August 5 (distributor: Longride)
- Initial reports on Cézanne and I's opening weekend indicate a number of sold-out screenings in the one theater currently showing the film (distributor: Cetera International).
Also notable is the top performer of the summer season in Japan, Up for Love (Shôchiku, 30,500 admissions), not to mention the successful Fanny's Journey (Tohokushinsha Film Corporation (TFC),15,500 admissions) and The Dancer (Comstock Group,15,000 admissions).
