Flanders films have broken the 2003 admissions record which longtime was considered to be unbreakable. With still one title to go in release next week, close to 1,135,000 cinemagoers already went to see an indigenous production this year. In 2003, 1,048,280 paying cinemagoers were registered at screenings of indigenous films.

Five titles attracted well over 100,000 cinemagoers this year. The internationally acclaimed Ben X by Nic Balthazar takes the lead with well over 250,000 admissions, followed by the local comedy A Chicken is no Dog by Dominique Deruddere (219,721). Other box office successes are Missing by Jan Verheyen (175,696), A Perfect Match by Miel Van Hoogenbemt (119,097), and the kids adventure Plop and the Penguin by Dennis Bots (116.159). Three films - Ben X, Missing and Plop and the Penguin - are still in release.

The previous admissions record was set in 2003 with films as Erik Van Looy's The Alzheimer Case, Jan Verheyen's Team Spirit 2 and Tom Barman's feature film debut Any Way the Wind Blows. That year, about 70% of all business was done by one title, The Alzheimer Case.

It is expected that, compared to 2006, total admissions for Flanders films will be up 25% by the end of the year. On top of that five films in the current top-20 for the year are produced in Flanders. This success can be explained due to a more diverse film offer, as well as a gradual increase in production.

Top 10:
01 BEN X 253.473 *
02 FIRMIN 219.721
03 VERMIST 175.696 *
04 MAN ZKT. VROUW 119.097
05 PLOP EN DE PINGUIN** 116.159 *
06 WAAR IS HET PAARD VAN SINTERKLAAS (c) 62.259 *
07 DAGEN ZONDER LIEF 43.500
08 EX DRUMMER 21.574
09 TO WALK AGAIN 18.024
10 SI LE VENT SOULEVE LE SABLE (c) 17.965

(* in release at the time of writing)
(c minor coproduction Flanders)


Evolution admissions from 2003 to 2007:

2003: 1,048,280
2004: 566,763
2005: 615,000
2006: 920,524
2007 (until 11/12): 1,133,015