Editor

The MEDIA Salles’ “European Cinema Yearbook – 2005 advance edition”
at Capri Hollywood 2005

The main results published in this new edition show that the number of spectators who crossed the threshold of cinemas in Europe and the Mediterranean Rim in 2004 was 1 billion, 75 million.
This was an exceptionally good year: 68 million more tickets sold compared to 2003, with a 6.7% increase.
Western Europe (19 countries, from Iceland to Austria, Portugal to Finland) continued to have the lion’s share with 962 million spectators (+5.8% compared to 2003), whilst the 15 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Rim, with 113 million tickets, recorded the most flattering growth rate: 15.1%.
From the point of view of offer, a fairly similar situation generally emerges for the whole Area, with an increase of around 1% in screens, bringing the total to over 32,000.
Of these screens, 10,105 are situated in the multiplexes, that is, according to the criterion used by MEDIA Salles, in complexes with at least eight theatres, which grew between the first of January 2004 and the same date in 2005 from 899 to 978, with an 8.8% increase.
Still not numerous are the screens equipped for digital screening (using DLP CinemaTM technology) throughout the world (389) but with a strong increase in Europe during the twelve months between June 2004 and June 2005. They increased in number from 37 to 104, with a growth rate of 181%, decidedly higher than the world average which was 59%. The Old Continent thus succeeded in equalling North America in terms of digital screens and in reducing the gap with Asia, where 166 of these screens had been installed by June 2005.

The cd rom of the “European Cinema Yearbook – 2005 advance edition”, produced with the support of Cinemeccanica, can be requested to the MEDIA Salles’ offices, by following the indications on the website www.mediasalles.it – section “European Cinema Yearbook and other publications”.
For further information: infocinema@mediasalles.it


MEDIA Salles, a project operating within the framework of the European Union's MEDIA Programme, with the support of the Italian Government, fosters theatrical distribution of European audiovisual products, both by high profile campaigns involving Europe's cinema exhibitors and by initiatives to raise the visibility of European productions with industry players and potential audiences, creating specialized information channels on a global scale. Thus the current initiatives from MEDIA Salles dovetail in a program with a triple focus – training, promotion and information – and maximum combined effect.

The MEDIA Salles’ “European Cinema Yearbook”, launched in 1992 and now in its fourteenth edition, analyses cinema-going in 34 European countries by means of over 40 statistical indicators. It is completed by special sections comparing Europe with 12 important world markets and showing multiplexes (complexes with at least 8 screens) in Europe, as well as cinemas throughout the world that are equipped for digital screening.

Website: www.mediasalles.it