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Will French cinema bounce back to pre-COVID glory? Super Mario Bros and Barbie dominate as local films secure 40 percent share
Explore the resurgence of French cinema in 2023 with Super Mario Bros. and Barbie topping charts. Will the industry reclaim its pre-COVID glory? Dive into the cinematic comeback.
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French cinema experiences an 18.9% surge in 2023 admissions, signaling a strong comeback
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France's recovery outpaces other territories, with a faster and more robust bounceback post-COVID
According to numbers issued by the official cinema authority CNC, France ended the cinema year of 2023 on a high note, with a remarkable 18.9 percent increase in theater admissions compared to the previous year. While this increase is definitely encouraging for the French film industry, the figures nevertheless show a 13.1 percent drop from the average admissions in the pre-COVID period between 2017 and 2019, as per the Hollywood Reporter.
A faster and more robust bounceback
The French film industry's resilience is seen in its speedier and more robust rebound when compared to other areas. According to Comscore forecasts, U.S. revenue in November 2023 will be 21% lower than pre-COVID averages from 2017 to 2019. Similarly, the United Kingdom is 13 percent behind Germany, 14 percent behind Italy, 22 percent behind Spain, and 47 percent behind South Korea.
Despite the triumph of French cinema's comeback in 2023, Hollywood films continued to dominate French admissions statistics. The Super Mario Bros by Universal Pictures took the top place with 7.15 million admissions, followed by Warner Bros.' success, Barbie with 5.8 million, and Walt Disney's Avatar: The Way of Water with 5.18 million. Guillaume Canet's Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, the newest edition in the live-action comic book franchise, was the only French film to crack the top five, drawing 4.48 million viewers. 
Local films resilience and market share
Despite Hollywood's supremacy, French cinema demonstrated its tenacity with a succession of mid-level blockbusters that contributed to a sizable market share. Notable French releases such as the comedy Alibi.com 2 from directors Philippe Lacheau and Marc David, Martin Bourboulon's two-part Three Musketeers film, and Justine Triet's Oscar contender Anatomy of a Fall propelled French admissions to 72 million for the year, securing an impressive 40% share.
CNC president Dominique Boutonnat credits France's relative success to the diversity of works offered, particularly French films, and the commitment of our cinemas. The lack of health regulations on theaters in France in 2023, the first post-COVID year, was critical to the industry's resurgence. Theaters benefitted from a strong summer season, highlighted by the Barbenheimer craze, with admissions increasing by 9.3 percent in July and falling by 1.3 percent in August.
Challenges and the road ahead
While the overall picture is positive, French cinema has had obstacles, most notably a drop in attendance in September. The decline of 20% compared to the 2017-2019 average was ascribed to a dearth of fresh blockbusters and intense competition from Rugby World Cup television broadcasts. As the industry looks at 2023's successes and failures, the question looms: Can French film continue and build on this momentum to truly recapture its pre-COVID glory?
The French cinema industry has demonstrated its endurance in the face of the pandemic's hurdles and dynamic alterations in spectator behavior. The success of local productions alongside Hollywood heavyweights indicates a hopeful trajectory; nevertheless, maintaining this recovery will need constant adaptation to changing audience tastes and a proactive response to future obstacles.
As French cinema looks forward, the focus is on its potential to maintain its newfound vigor and eventually return to, if not exceed, the heights of its pre-COVID triumph.
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