Brazil’s box office registered a 33.3% rise during 2009, with ticket sales getting close to R$1bn mark for the first time.

According to figures released by film company and market researcher Filme B, revenue climbed to $549m (R$970m) and admissions totaled 112.6m, which was 25.7% ahead of 2008 levels.

The box office record can be partially attributed to the Brazilian economic growth and the fact it is as one of the first economies to recover from the recession.

“The new Brazilian films with commercial potential and the release of blockbusters ‘out of season’, such as 2012 and New Moon, that came out in November, not a school holiday season, helped the box office growth as well,’’ Pedro Butcher, Filme B’s editor, said.

“The expansion of 3D theatres in the country also explains the rise in revenues and in the average price ticket,’’ Butcher added. Last year the average ticket price reached $4.9m (R$8.61m), up 6% from 2008.

With a total of 84 titles released, 16m people saw Brazilian films, accounting for a market share of 14.2%, which is the best figure since 2004.

The local champion was Daniel Filho’ Se Eu Fosse Voce 2, a sequel to the 2006 romantic comedy and released through Fox. By selling 5.7m tickets last year (now it is more than 6.1m), the comedy became the highest domestic-grossing film since the Brazilian renaissance, beating Breno Silveira’s Two Sons Of Francisco, which 5.3m people saw in 2005.

Se Eu Fosse Voce 2 grossed $26.8m (R$47.5), taking the second spot in the 2009 ranking behind Fox’sIce Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs. Claudio Torres’ A Mulher Invisivel (pictured) also made it into the top 10 after grossing $11.5m (R$20.4m).

Top 10 films at the Brazilian box office in 2009
Film / Distributor / Gross / Admissions

1. Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs / Fox / $45.7m (R$81.1m) / 9.2m

2. Se Eu Fosse Voce 2 / Fox / $26.8m (R$47.5m) / 5.7m

3. New Moon / Paris Filmes / $25.9m (R$45.9m) / 5.6m

4. 2012/ Sony / $24.6m (R$43.6m) / 5.1m

5. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince / Warner / $20.3m (R$36.1m) / 4.5m

6. Avata r/ Fox  /$20.2m (R$35.9m)  /3.6m

7. Angels & Demons / Sony  /$15.7m (R$27.9m)  /3m

8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine/ Fox /$ 5.4m (R$27.3m) / 3.1m

9. Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian / Fox / $11.8m (R$21m) / 2.5m

10. A Mulher Invisivel / Warner / $11.5m (R$20.4m) / 2.3m

Source: Filme B

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