French cinema reached the symbolic threshold of 40 million admissions abroad in 2024, and remained the leader in terms of selections and awards at the 10 major international festivals.
The gradual reopening of cinemas after the COVID-19 pandemic raised hopes for a slow but steady recovery in people returning to movie theaters over the years. Unfortunately, 2024 reminded us that, while theaters remain central to the film distribution process, it is not certain that audiences will return to the same levels as in the 2010s, nor that the sector will revive. In fact, global attendance fell below the 5 billion ticket threshold, representing an 8.8% decline compared to 2023.
French films are inevitably affected by this context. Foreign box office admissions for French films (40.1 million) fell by 6.3% compared to 2023, but this finding needs to be qualified. Given that the range of French films available and the global market are no longer the same as they were in the 2010s, French films still held a 2.3% market share of admissions for foreign films imported internationally and lagged behind their pre-pandemic level less than the overall category for all nationalities (-31.0% compared to -35.0%). In addition, more and more French productions are being shown in cinemas around the world. In 2024, 1,358 different films were released: this figure has more than doubled in the space of ten years. 3,233 new French titles were released in 2024, again a volume that has increased by 45% in ten years.
No film stood out as the clear leader of the year in terms of ticket sales. Only a few thousand viewers separated the top-ranked film from the second-ranked title, respectively: Anatomy of a Fall and The Count of Monte Cristo. Along with The Taste of Things, Autumn and the Black Jaguar, The Jungle Bunch: World Tour, and the minority-French Robot Dreams and Panda Bear in Africa, they made up the group of seven French productions that each attracted more than 1 million moviegoers in 2024. This sample of titles proves that French cinema cannot do without co-productions, that the French language has gained ground over time (its audience numbers have not been this high since 2017!), and that French arthouse, animated, and adventure films are popular with foreign moviegoers.
Europe remained the geographical area favoring French cinema, but the continent's western part, where the leading territory (Germany) is located, found it more difficult to return to pre-pandemic attendance levels. On the other hand, the central and eastern regions improved their cumulative figures compared to those of the 2010s. Indeed, they now stand out as the second largest market in terms of audience numbers for French films, a position previously held alternately by Asia and North America. French cinema attendance figures in Latin America doubled in the space of a year, lifting the region to third place on the podium.
For the second consecutive year, the festivals monitored were all able to take place physically and according to the pre-COVID-19 schedule. However, this doesn't mean a “return to normal,” as festivals are facing new challenges that require changes in direction. That said, in 2024, there were as many films that were selected at least once in the ten festivals studied as in 2023. After several complex years, it seems that a certain balance has been established globally.
Once again, no country had as many films, screenings, and awards as France in 2024. In recent years, French cinema has played a more prominent role in the ten events than in the past. While it is inevitably affected by the overall downward trend in indicators, it seems to be better able to counteract this phenomenon. The number of films of all nationalities decreased by 11.8% in 2024 compared to 2015, while the number of French films decreased by “only” 4.9%. France's presence in the festival network is also due to the large number of international co-productions that complement its many national productions. Furthermore, compared to the global level (35%), the French films selected by the ten festivals studied relied more heavily on titles directed by women (36%).
The major market indicators of French films
abroad in 2024
In theaters:
- 40.1 million admissions and 271.7 million euros in box office revenues.
- 30.7 million admissions for majority-French productions and 29.4 million for those in the French language.
- 1,358 films in exhibition (288 new titles) and 3,233 new releases.
- 7 films surpassed 1 million admissions and 70 more than 100,000 admissions.
- Western Europe was the leading geographic zone and Germany the leading territory in terms of admissions.
In international festivals:*
- 253 French films selected and 363 presentations.
- France remained the leading country in the number of films, presentations, and awards won.
- 1 French film out of 3 was directed by a woman.
- 1 Golden Bear, 1 Golden Shell, and 54 other official awards.
* The 10 festivals studied are: Bafici, Berlin, Busan, Cannes, Locarno, Rotterdam, San Sebastián, Sundance, Toronto, and Venice.
Since its creation in 1994, Unifrance's annual report has collected and analyzed the results of French films internationally, and its content has evolved and expanded over the years. The report on French films in the international arena consists of a comprehensive analysis of box office results, more than 70 country profiles, and an analysis of the presence of French titles at international festivals. No other film industry can boast such a publication, which is unique in its kind.
The 2024 report can be downloaded below (in French only)
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