Eric from Paris asked Y-Talk: “There are always much fewer European films showing than American ones. Why? And how can we make European cinema more
ADVERTISEMENTEric from Paris asked Y-Talk: “There are always much fewer European films showing than American ones. Why? And how can we make European cinema more visible?”
Claude-Eric Poiroux, the General Director of Europa Cinemas, answered: “It is true that American films count for around 70% of the European market. That’s a fact, it’s due to commercial power, the star system, and it’s also the quality of a certain type of cinema. You can’t deny it. But European cinema isn’t missing from our screens. I’m thinking of Europa Cinema, which I represent. 60% of the films shown on their 2,500 screens are from European countries, so I think diversity does exist in Europe.
“Lots of films are made in Europe; more than 1,000 a year, so it’s a very big industry and the films deserve to be seen by people all over our continent. In countries where there are only a few screens, American films quickly monopolise cinema, because there is a market force and a good offer. But in France there are more than 5,000 screens, so we have a more equal distribution of films and that’s the same in quite a lot of European countries.
“For 20 years, the EU has supported this network. And it continues to do so today so we can innovate, digitalise cinemas, because that’s the world we live in now.
“So I think the future depends on us trusting the younger generations, and knowing how to attract them into cinemas. They know that cinema seats are comfortable, that the films are spectacular. And I think people in the film industry as well as in the EU realise that it’s important to get the future right for younger generations, who are generally very savvy.”
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