Results up 6% from 2008, but local productions had a weak year.

Filling almost 2.2m seats during 2009, Sweden’s Millennium trilogy helped Danish cinemas to reach the best result since 1982, totalling 14.1m admissions - 6% up on 2008. Gross box office receipts amounted to $152m (DKK837m).

The help was needed: local productions had their weakest year since 2000, dropping 43% compared to the previous year, according to figures published by the Danish Statistics Office. Only one of 32 new films joined the 10  top-grossers, Anders Matthesen’s comedy, Sorte kugler, which sold 404,777 tickets for Sandrew Metronome. Danish market share was 17%, down from 32%.

US fare accounted for 270 titles, or 41% of all films screened, including six of the year’s 10 best-selling movies, and controlling 55% of the market (versus 52% in 2008). The best Hollywood performer was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (596,000 admissions for Warner-Sandrew Metronome). European films constituted 32% of the repertoire, excluding 20% local movies.

Released by Nordisk Film, the Millennium trilogy also dominated the 2009 Top Ten: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Män som hatar kvinnor) was number one with 959,207 admissions — making it the 12th best-grossing film since 1976. Also, The Girl Who Played with Fire (Flickan som lekte med elden) was number 2 with 784,701 admissions); and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Luftslottet som sprängdes) was number 8 with 404,504 admissions.

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