France's annual springpromotional effort, the 'Printemps Du Cinema" is expected to beat lastyear's record attendance figures.

Thethree day event, running from Sunday 20 to Tuesday 22 March, sees the country'sentire 5,300 cinemas slash their prices to a flat-rate Euros3.50 per ticket.Last year it lifted spectator numbers to 2.5 million, approximately double theSunday to Tuesday score in a normal week.

Films set to benefit includenew releases Hitch, Before Sunset, Saw and local hopeful The BeatThat My Heart Skipped (De Battre Mon Coeur S'Est Arrete). Currentfilms on release include chart-topper Ray, The Ax and Meet TheFockers, which will be in its fifth week