188 million admissions were registered in French theaters in 2006. This figure confirms the trend observed since 2001 showing an upswing in movie attendance.
Although remaining below the highpoint of 2004 (195 million admissions), attendance rose by 7.5% compared with 2005.
Particularly good results were registered in France, with homegrown films attracting 84 million spectators and commanding 45% of the home market, French films’ best achievement since 1984.
American films’ market share declined in this period, slipping to 46%, while non-French and non-American films also fell back to 9%.
7 French titles managed to attract over 3 million spectators in 2006, the highest number in 10 years. 18 French films broke the million admissions barrier (against 16 titles in 2005), and 39 titles topped 500,000 admissions (against 37 titles in 2005).
This uptrend is attributable to fine performances in a range of genres, including large-scale comedies: Les Bronzés 3 - Amis pour la vie (Friends Forever, 10.3 million admissions), Camping (5.5 million admissions), La Doublure (The Valet, 3.1 million admissions entrées), Les Aristos (900,000 admissions) and surprise hits: Prête-moi ta main (I do 3.5 million admissions), Je vous trouve très beau (3,5 million admissions) OSS 117, Le Caire nid d'espions (OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, 2.3 million admissions), Hors de prix (Priceless, 1.3 million admissions, still on release in 2007), Nos jours heureux (1.5 million admissions), La Maison du bonheur and Comme t’y es belle! (over 1 million admissions each), as well as the high-level "Made in France" productions Indigènes (Days of Glory, 3.1 million admissions), Ne le dis à personne (Tell No One 2.8 million admissions), Fauteuils d’Orchestre (Orchestra seats 2 million admissions), L’Ivresse du pouvoir (The Comedy of Power, 1.1 million admissions), and Quand j’étais chanteur (The Singer, 950,000 admissions).
Animated films were not left out of the equation, with Luc Besson’s triumphant Arthur and the Minimoys (with 4.4 million admissions at the end of 2006), Azur and Asmar (1.6 million admissions), and Asterix and the Vikings (1.3 million admissions) all scoring well.
And to these titles we can add a handful of surprise success stories: Je vais bien ne t’en fais pas (900,000 admissions), Quatre étoiles (800,000 admissions), La Tourneuse de pages (The Page Turner, 725,000 admissions), and Le Temps des porte-plumes (620,000 admissions).
