On the occasion of the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, the European Audiovisual Observatory released its first estimates for European cinema attendance in 2009. The Observatory estimates the total number of cinema tickets sold in the European Union to be approximately 985 million. In a difficult economic environment this represents a growth of 6.5%year-on-year and the highest admissions level since the record-breaking result in 2004 (1.013 billion).

Admissions increased in 18 out of the 24 EU Member States for which data were available. Germany registered the most significant growth (+ 16.9 million, + 13.1%), followed by France (+ 10.9 million, + 5.7%), the United Kingdom (+ 9.3 million, + 5.6%) and Poland (+ 5.4 million, +16.1%). For the first time in the past five years Spain reported an increase in admissions (+ 2.8%), whereas attendance decreased marginally in Italy (-0.4%).

Contrary to cinema attendance increasing in most EU Member States in 2009, national market shares decreased in 19 out of the 24 countries for which data were available. It seems that US films such as Ice Age 3 (3D), Avatar (3D), 2012, Up (3D) and Angels & Demons played a significant role in growing overall cinema attendance in Europe in 2009.

Only a few European countries proved an exception to this overall trend. Thanks to the Millennium trilogy, Sweden registered a record year in 2009, with admissions to local films increasing by 81.5% year-on-year, and local market share climbing to 32.7%, the highest level on record. Another exceptions was Germany, with national films capturing 27.4% of total admissions. 2009 also was an excellent year for Spanish cinema with a national market share of 15.4%. Despite a drop from 58% to 51% in 2009, Turkey remains the leading European country in terms of national market share.

Read the full report on the European Audioviusal Observatory website.