“Ticket prices should come down, especially in times of high inflation, and real film diversity should be encouraged instead of increasing concentration and favoring American cinema.” this is his answer Stephan Gudeabout how the film industry can help bring cinemas back to pre-pandemic levels.

This is one of the main questions that has arisen immediately after the closure of cinemas around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the increase in streaming on the eve and during the quarantine. Now there are theaters and several multiplex cinemas. faced with the biggest crisis of recent years. The magic of the movie-going atmosphere is lost, and most people prefer the simple “at home on the couch” solution.

The discussion about what needs to be done to reverse this situation and re-heat the attitude of the public towards the big screen has become large. Filmmakers, cultural institutions and organizations organize events from time to time (such as the Film Festival) to remind the world of this unique collective experience.

Gudet, film critic, academic and artistic director of the independent French cinema Le Méliès in Montreux, closely follows the development of the entertainment industry. A few days before his visit to Athens as part of his 23rd Greek-French Film Festival and an open dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of cinema, he tells K about cinema, streaming platforms, the Greek film market.

First of all, we need to agree on numbers. Comparing current tickets to the Covid years does not make sense as there were very few tickets in those years due to theater closures and health restrictions. As for the last pre-COVID year, in France they were, of course, extremely high, ranking second since 1966. Everything seemed to be going well. If we compare this with the 2017-2019 average, which seems to be the most relevant, the drop in attendance in France in 2022 is 27.5%. This is especially great but less than in Germany (-31.6%), USA (-33.8%), Spain (-40.7%), Italy (-52.7%!), and probably less than in Greece. In the first two months of 2023, the fall in France is only 18.6% compared to great season 2017-2019.

In a word, things are already underway. The figures (which date back to the end of November 2022 and have been widely commented on) did not take into account the triumphant release of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which increased cinema attendance in both France (over eight million viewers) and France. in the other place. However, it would be absurd to deny that the period of covid changed cultural practices around the worldadmirably favoring platforms and thereby further promoting isolation and home confinement.

It’s still a little early to know. However, there are fears that the growing success of platforms aimed at global audiences will deprive the cinema of significant revenues, which would obviously be paradoxical. Because, as all filmmakers, including those who work with platforms, point out, there is nothing better than a big screen and stereo sound in theaters to appreciate an ambitious and well-made film. Between 2019 and 2022 platforms they doubled their investment and grew by 79% worldwide. For example, an episode of HBOMax’s House of the Dragon averaged $20 million this year, compared to $6 million for an episode of the first season of Game of Thrones.

But 2022 was the first year of disappointment for Netflix. Between January and July 2022, he lost one million followers worldwide for the first time. The market valuation of Netflix then fell to $80 billion, the lowest level since 2017, before recovering. In short, platforms have not gone unnoticed either.

The role of platforms is deeply ambiguous. Their growth has contributed to the emptying of cinemas since the pandemic, but it is undeniable that easy access to thousands of films can also cause, especially in children, teenagers and young adults, an interest in cinema, even cinephilia. In that sense, being able to stream great classic movies is a very good thing, even if the practice of algorithms doesn’t always motivate search and variety. And on most platforms, the series on offer are clearly superior to the individual films, whose programming remains rather weak and conformist.

Post-pandemic attendance

Everyone hopes that in a year or two we will return to pre-pandemic levels of cinema attendance. Some cinema chains in France believe they should develop premium cinemas, luxurious designs with more comfortable and reclining seats that allow Pathé, among others, to increase ticket prices from €14.60 to €18.50 to offset the increase in costs. for electricity. because of the war in Ukraine.

Pathé head Jérôme Seydoux also issued a media statement last November condemning the weakness of French cinema. urging to concentrate revenues on the most successful filmshence, among the richest, a liberal vision, quite in line with the policies of the government of Emmanuel Macron. Since then, Asterix and Obelix: On the Road to China, produced and distributed by Pathé, has collected 4.5 million tickets ahead of the Printemps du cinéma film festival. Almost simultaneously with this controversial statement came The Innocent by Louis Garrel, Simone, Journey of the Century by Olivier Dahan, and November. Cedric Jimenez were successful in France.

we believe that cinema ticket prices should be reduced especially during a period of high inflation (the maximum price at the Méliès cinema in Montreuil is 6 euros per seat) and that a real variety of films should be encouragedrather than increase concentration and give preference to American cinema.

permanent festival

Now we are among the best independent cinemas, but we are not the best and not the only ones. France has an excellent network of arthouse cinemas, which is scattered throughout the territory. We are currently looking forward to the same attendance record as in 2019 and it is true that the hall is becoming more and more popular. He was recently cited as an example by Ruben Östlund from Sweden (Phoenix d’Or 2022) and Dominique Mol, winner of the César award. I think we can sum up our success quite easily. Méliès is a public cinema dependent on a commune of communes to the east of Paris, which allows it to keep prices low and have a sufficient number of dedicated employees with well-defined tasks (for example, responsible for increase in the audience, programmer-animator for a young audience).

Since we are located near Paris, we are constantly hosting film groups: more than 250 in 2022. Not to mention the sessions based on local and national clubs. With the exception of a few untouchable American holy monsters, almost all of the greatest directors and actors have come through Le Méliès. It has become our trademark. Since covid, animated shows accompanied by directors have been working like never before. This is our way of turning cinema into an event: to make Le Méliès a permanent festival.

Investment in education

In terms of production, I don’t think the situation is comparable. In 2021, 340 films were approved in France, which is a high number, including 265 French initiative films and 75 minority producers. In terms of attendance, the share of American films in 2022 was almost equivalent to that of French films (nearly 41%). I don’t know enough about the Greek market to give any advice. Moreover, there are Greek features that we envy you, such as – less common in France – terrible summer movie tradition in charming places.

For the field of feature films, I can only give one recommendation: feel free to focus on film education by creating, for example, a popular film university. At Méliès, this takes the form of an hour-long lecture a month on the cinematic concept (this year on camera movement) before an annotated screening of a film chosen by the speaker (critic, director or academic). And it’s very successful. And I am one of those who call for the generalization of educational programs on the seventh art, for the renewal and encouragement of junior cinephilia.