Since September, cinema attendance has been at half mast. Those of Vienne are no exception, but the situations vary from the arthouse multiplex or between towns and countryside.
Cinema exhibitors have been gray since the start of the school year in September: at national level, attendance at dark rooms is down more than 30% compared to September 2019, last reference before Covid. And Vienna is no exception.
We are indeed on the national average: the month of September was catastrophic, with a drop in attendance such as we had not seen for a long time. confirms Stphane Boss, director of the CGR multiplex in Buxerolles.
“2022 was a year of transition, 2023 will be a year of renewal”
According to him, this scarcity is mainly due a shortage of supply : Following Top Gun, this summer, had gone very well. But, then, certain French films on which one counted did not find their public. In contrast, Novemberby Cdric Jimenez, is going strong.
Despite everything, the operator remains optimistic : I’m not too worried about the end of the year with the release ofAvatar 2, continues Stéphane Boss. The release of the first part of the remastered film, lasting two weeks, even topped the box office, when the film was 13 years old! And there is a great offer looming in 2023 with theAstrix by Guillaume Canet The three Musketeerswith Pio Marma, Franois Civil and Vincent Cassel, or even the second part of Dunesin July, and the new Impossible mission. If 2022 was a year of transition, after the pandemic, 2023 will be a year of renewal.
Art and essay resists
On the side of arthouse cinemas, the current situation is less worrying. In the month of September, we are – 15% compared to 2019, it is twice better than the national averageunderlines the director of the cinema Tap Castille, Poitiers, Aldric Bostffocher. We are lucky to have a lot of regulars who came back very quickly, after the confinements. And we see new young people arriving in our rooms. Above all, we lost spectators who came punctually and were able to change their habits. We have also kept the same rhythm of debates and meetings as before the pandemic: with two or three events a week, excluding holidays, this has made it possible to mobilize the spectators.
The week last, for example, the directors of Feminist response were present for the preview of the film, Tuesday, and Friday, it is the team of Dry outlet – with the Poitevin actor Franois Sabourin – who came to present his film and meet the Tap Castille audience.
“People are coming back”
Rural cinemas are experiencing the same phenomenon, but with some reason to hope for better days. In September, we are -20% compared to 2019, but it was a big year… The drop is only 10% compared to 2018. For the past two weeks, people have been coming back to our roomcongratulates Mathias Bonneau, the programmer of the cinema of Genay. There are a few movies that did well like See Paris again and Other people’s childrenboth with Virginie Elfira, or Without filterthe Cannes Palme d’Or… As films are released late, after the big cities, we benefit perhaps more from word of mouth.
With the People’s University of Cinema
The Genay cinema, which is associativecan also count on its members (they get tickets for €5 at all screenings) and organizes thirteen film-encounters a year, within the framework of the People’s University of Cinema.
The subjects are rather historical and the screenings are followed by a debate broadcast live from Pessac, in Gironde, explains Mathias Bonneau. Genay spectators can intervene and ask questions from a distance. People want that! We also organize a film festival for young audiences during the All Saints holidays. Generally it goes well… It will be a good indicator.
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Vienna cinemas hope for better days