01/10/2002 - Multiscreens contribute to reducing difference between urban centres and suburbs but the jewel remains Paris

France’s CNC (National Film Centre) has just published a detailed report about the way in which French film industry exploits the national territory. According to the findings, 1654 townships have at least one cinema, for a total of 5241 cinemas and a seating capacity of just over 1 million.
The key city centres have more theatres than the suburbs although the recent construction of multi-screens has gone some way to reducing the difference. Unlike other countries, France also has cinemas in rural areas.
Cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants account for 75 per cent of the total French audience. However the 12 per cent increase in attendance reported in 2001 applies both to small rural areas and large cities, and those with more than 100,000 inhabitants are seeing a gradual decrease in film attendance numbers. Just one city opposes this trend: Paris, the jewel in the crown of French cinema, with a film theatre heritage that is unique to the world with 373 screens in 94 cinemas (40 per cent of which are Art House cinemas). The French capital’s theatres attracted over 31 million filmgoers, fully 16 per cent of the national total. Currently, a film ticket costs an average Euros6.16 in Paris and Euros 5.10 elsewhere.

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(Translated from French)