French films took an estimated €250.2m in overseas markets in 2024 from 38.1 million admissions, according to projected annual figures released by Unifrance today (January 13).
This represents an 11% drop from 2023’s final tally of €271.4m and 42.7 million admissions although the final 2024 figures won’t be announced until October. Last year’s January predicted figures for 2023 (€234m and 37.4 million admissions) ended up being surpassed by the final numbers.
Dramatic films led the way with 26.1% of ticket sales abroad, followed by comedies at 21.8%, and action and adventure films with 21.3%; animation – 2023’s top genre – dropped to 17.7%.
Europe remains the continent with the largest appetite for French fare, accounting for 67.5% of ticket sales. Germany surpassed Russia/CIS to become the top territory for French films in 2024 with 4.1 million admissions or an overall share of 12.3%; Russia dropped to second with 3.7 million admissions and an 11% share; and Mexico edged into third with 2.6 million admissions and a 7.7% share.
Admissions for French films increased by 105% in Latin America in 2024, which Unifrance attributed to strong performances for animated titles and genre films including Survive (Survivre), Acid (Acide) and Infested (Vermines).
Belgium and Luxembourg, Poland, Italy and Spain were also popular territories for French films, with China and the US and English-speaking Canada rounding out the top ten.
Top titles
The top five films by admissions were Pathe’s big-budget epic The Count Of Monte-Cristo at 3.3 million tickets sold, Anatomy Of A Fall (3.2 million), animal adventure Autumn And The Black Jaguar (2.4 million), The Taste Of Things (1.4 million) and family animation The Jungle Bunch: World Tour (1 million).
A Little Something Extra, the number-one film at France’s box office in 2024, also boasted a strong international career with 900,000 admissions.
When 2023 figures are added, Anatomy Of A Fall’s admissions come to 4.9 million and a €35.8m total through October 2024. As well as being the top French film outside of Europe in 2024, it was the second biggest success for a French film from a female director overseas since Anne Fontaine’s 2009 drama Coco Before Chanel.
The overall split of admissions between French-language productions and French productions in other languages was 75% versus 25%.
A changing market
Announcing the study to kick off its 27th annual Rendez-Vous in Paris, Unifrance attributed the year-on-year dip to the general downward trend at the international box office and shifts in moviegoing habits, particularly in the wake of the Hollywood strikes.
Unlike in France where gaps in programming from delayed Hollywood franchise films left room for local titles to triumph, “internationally, when there aren’t Hollywood films, they aren’t necessarily replaced by French films – people just go to the movies less,” Unifrance’s head of cinema Gilles Renouard told Screen.
“The post-pandemic market requires us to analyse the market according to new parameters. There has been a change in audience habits, and more hybrid theatrical and platform launches with fewer admissions recorded,” added Renouard, citing the example of Emilia Perez. Jacques Audiard’s awards-season contender launched on Netflix in the US and several other territories after a limited Oscar-qualifying release.
Unifrance’s study analysed the SVoD market based on the number of new films and series on release rather than performance since streamers do not share that data. By that measure, France was the fifth most represented nationality on foreign SVoD platforms behind the US, UK, Japan and India.
However, Unifrance noted in its report: “The lack of transparency regarding the viewing of content on platforms makes it difficult to understand and appreciate their performance.”
Anatomy Of A Fall, Maiwenn’s Jeanne du Barry and Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir were the top films on offer on SVoD platforms around the world in 2024, according to the report.
French films charge up festivals
According to Unifrance, for the fourth year running France was the leading country for films selected, screened and awarded at the 10 biggest international festivals in 2024, accounting for 22.8% of all titles programmed.
Unsurprisingly, French films made up the majority of the Cannes line-up – 64.2% and 79 titles selected – with Locarno, Berlin, Venice and San Sebastian following at 31.3%, 30.1%, 28.6% and 28.2%.
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, Mati Diop’s Dahomey, Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez and Alain Guiraudie’s Misericordia were the French productions selected for the most festivals in 2024.
Major prizes for French titles include Berlin’s Golden Bear for Dahomey, the grand prix for All We Imagine As Light and jury prize for Emilia Perez in Cannes, and Venice’s best actor award for Vincent Lindon in The Quiet Son.
Unifrance also noted that the share of French films directed by women dropped to 36% in 2024 after reaching a record high of 39.5% in 2023.
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