Europe Archives - Celluloid Junkie

NEWS

The Europa Distribution session at New Nordic Films in Haugesund brought together an eclectic mix of speakers to discuss how this celebrated subcategory of international cinema is marketed internationally. Festival premieres, awards success and recognisable auteurs can be invaluable, but they don't tell the whole story.

Nordic Cinema Doesn’t Have an Export Problem. It Has a Conversion Problem

A Europa Distribution session at New Nordic Films in Haugesund looked at a well regarded subcategory of international cinema, and found that a reputation for quality doesn’t always lead directly to strong ticket sales. At festivals, Nordic films travel extraordinarily well. They win prizes, attract…

2026 Box Office - January through June - First Half

International Box Office Recovery Accelerates as Local Films Gain Ground

Selected markets across Europe, Asia and Australia reported stronger revenue or attendance during the first half of 2026, with China the major exception and domestic productions increasingly powering the rebound. One year ago, the international theatrical recovery still looked fragile, uneven and he…

UNIC 2026 Annual Report

UNIC Reports European Box Office Held Near €6.9 Billion in 2025, But Admissions Tell a More Complicated Story

European cinemas spent much of 2025 proving a point that has become familiar in the post-pandemic theatrical business: audiences show up when the films are there. The harder question, and the one the International Union of Cinemas’s (UNIC) 2026 Annual Report keeps circling back to, is whether…

Marche du Film - 2024 - The Future Role of Theatrical Exploitation in Europe - Panel

At Marché du Film, European Audiovisual Observatory Surveys State of the Continent’s Box Office

On May 17 and 18, Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival hosted two sessions organised by the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO). The first, headlined “Key Trends in the Film Sector” outlined just that, whilst the second was titled “The Future Role of Theatrical Exploitation in Europe”. The…

Fights Break Out In Theatres During Creed 3 Screenings

“Creed III”: Screenings Take ‘Immersive’ to a Whole New Level

There’s no enemy like the past, says the tagline of “Creed lll”, the ninth film in the “Rocky” franchise. Nevertheless, it seems like some spectators managed to find contemporary enemies during the opening weekend in France and Germany. Thinking outside the boxing ring, several cin…

UNIC Data Shows European Cinema Recovery in 2022

International cinema trade body UNIC has published its preliminary estimates for 2022 box office and admissions across the territories that it covers. The figures show a significant recovery across all countries compared to the Covid lows of 2020 and 2021, even if most countries have yet to see a re…

UNIC and Europe's Green Agenda (credit: UNIC & The Coca-Cola Company)

CJ Green: UNIC and Europe’s Green Agenda

During the last year of existential challenges to cinemas the world over, sustainability hasn’t been a top priority for exhibitors, focused as they have been on straightforward survival. But now that cinemas are enjoying a “reopening boom”, particularly after the United Kingdom’s recent 17th May mil…

By The Numbers: Predicting Cinema’s Post-COVID Recovery

At the end of last year the Celluloid Junkie editorial team began discussing its annual predictions piece for 2021. However, most expert forecasts for 2020 crumbled like volcanic lava sliding into the ocean. We stared into the 2021 crystal ball and saw a lot of fog regarding the return of cinema and…

The Storm Before the Calm: European Cinemas Buoyed by Local Films Pre-Lockdown

For European exhibitors in November 2020, there is a sense of deja-vu. “Lockdown 2 – The Sequel”. Not playing in a cinema near you. In response to rising coronavirus cases, Europe is once again closed for business. Gower Street reports that only 24% of theatres are now open across the EMEA region, d…

Record Breaking Year for European Cinema Attendance

European cinema attendance last year not only recovered from the slight slump of 2018, but went on to break records as the highest this century. Preliminary 2019 statistics from cinema trade body UNIC shows that more than 1.34 billion admissions were recorded last year, representing a 4.5% increase…