Between October 2023 and January 2024, more than 550 French productions were shown across the five continents. Among them, 51 were animation films, representing 9% of global titles. Over the same period, they generated 1.68 million admissions, which corresponded to 16% of the audience who attended French films abroad.
France's animation industry rounded off its exceptional year in 2023 with a bang, and got off to a flying start in 2024! While the same three titles that have dominated the animation charts can be found among the French animated films most seen on the big screen outside our borders, their trajectories differed.
| Rank | Film | Territories | Admissions (October 23- January 24) | Box Office Revenues (€) (October 23- January 24) | Total Admissions
|
| 1 | Ladybug & Cat Noir Awakening | 19 | 486,068 | 2,417,602 | 7,379,910 |
| 2 | The Jungle Bunch: World Tour | 21 | 400,911 | 2,369,208 | 712,920 |
| 3 | Argonuts | 12 | 297,636 | 1,340,352 | 1,816,129 |
| 4 | The Inseparables* | 16 | 278,212 | 1,403,754 | 312,535 |
| 5 | Robot Dreams* | 6 | 46,601 | 222,369 | 46,601 |
* Production with minority-French financing.
The undisputed leader of 2023, Ladybug & Cat Noir Awakening remained the most popular title out on theatrical release for foreign audiences. Nearly half a million further tickets were sold between October 2023 and January 2024, taking the film past the seven million-admissions mark! Ladybug could also count on further successful launches, notably in Romania (Ro-Image 2000, 83,000 admissions and €0.38 million in total box office revenues), the Czech Republic (Bonton, 73,000 and €0.51 million), and Slovenia (Karantanija, 18,000 and €0.12 million). In the latter market, the film adaptation of the hit saga even topped the local rankings in the week of its release!
The sterling Polish careers of The Jungle Bunch: World Tour (Kino Swiat) and Argonuts (New Horizons) consolidated the titles' presence among the top three most popular films. Both were chosen by over 120,000 moviegoers, confirming once again the appeal of French animation for Polish moviegoers. While Argonuts was also exported to Romania (Cay, 58,000 admissions and €0.24 million), Brazil (Imagem, 52,000 and €0.19 million), and Serbia & Montenegro (Blitz, 27,000 and €0.11 million), The Jungle Bunch: World Tour was released in Czech cinemas (Bioscop, 50,000 and €0.32 million), Turkey (Bir, 29,000 and €0.10 million), and Croatia (Blitz, 28,000 and €0.14 million), among other territories.
Upcoming theatrical releases:
- The Jungle Bunch: World Tour (sold by SND): in South Africa (UIP), Germany (Splendid), Argentina (BF), Austria (Einhorn), Bolivia (BF), Chile (BF), Ecuador (BF), Nigeria (Silverbird), Peru (BF), and Uruguay (BF).
- Robot Dreams (sold by Elle Driver): in Germany (Plaion), Australia (Madman), Austria (Polyfilm), USA (Neon), Italy (I Wonder), Mexico (Canibal), UK & Ireland (Curzon).
The above releases may be subject to cancellation or postponement.
For further information on international results and releases of French films, please contact Andrea Sponchiado (andrea.sponchiado@unifrance.org).
