Phil Clapp and Laura Houlgatte, the president and chief executive officer respectively of the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), welcomed delegates at the opening ceremony of this year’s CineEurope. They used their CineEurope 2025 opening address to highlight both the continued resilience of cinema and the crucial conditions now required to sustain its future. They emphasized that while recent results have been encouraging, fully capitalizing on the strong release slate for the remainder of 2025—and the promising line-up into 2026 and beyond—will require all parts of the sector—exhibitors, studios and other distributors alike—to rise to some key challenges. Chief amongst these was the urgent need for a shared commitment across the industry to uphold a clear and consistent theatrical exclusivity, supported by a robust film slate and coordinated marketing efforts.
“Whether by intention or not,” they noted, “we have confused the consumer as to which film is out, when, where and for how long.” They made clear that this is not merely a theoretical concern. Referencing recent data, they drew attention to the demonstrable link between the average length of theatrical window in each territory and the speed of its box office recovery. They also emphasized the need for consistent and high profile marketing for all titles, with a particular need for it to be made clear where major films are ‘only in cinemas’. They also underlined UNIC’s continued commitment to advocating for cinemas at the EU level. “Our priority is to educate and inform Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament about the social, economic and cultural value of cinemas. UNIC ensures that the voice of exhibition is heard and understood – and that our sector’s unique contribution is reflected in Europe’s policies.”
They also highlighted the strength and resilience of the European cinema industry. Despite the lingering impacts of the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, cinemas across Europe recorded over 934.2 million admissions and generated box office revenues close to €7.1 billion in 2024—a demonstration of the enduring appeal of the big screen. EMEA accounted for $8.4 billion, or 28 percent of the global box office, in 2024, with several European markets—such as the UK, France, Ireland, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Montenegro—seeing admissions rising year-on-year. Such performances, they underlined, reflected the sector’s continued focus on innovation and the power of an appealing and diverse slate.
In Italy, box office results in summer 2024 marked an all-time high, while Christmas admissions surged by 28 percent, with Italian films accounting for 45 percent of all tickets sold during the festive period. France recorded 181.5 million admissions, with French-made films nearly matching that same 45 per cent market share, driven by a trio of domestic hits that collectively sold more than 25 million tickets—breaking a ten-year record. Bulgaria also reported notable gains, with box office revenue up by nearly 11 percent and admissions up by over 4 percent. US studio content played a pivotal role. Inside Out 2, from Walt Disney, became the highest-grossing US animated film of all time, breaking the $1 billion barrier globally in just 19 days. Other standout titles included Despicable Me 4, Deadpool & Wolverine, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Gladiator II, Wicked, Moana 2, and Venom: The Last Dance—all of which contributed to a robust second half of the year.
Local titles also proved vital to this success. Highlights included Paddington in Peru, Milijonieriaus palikimas, Gundi: Legend of Love, and The Count of Monte-Cristo. They also cited data from Gower Street Analytics, which recently increased its 2025 global box office forecast to $34.1 billion, over $1 billion above its earlier estimate. A turning point came in April, led by the release of A Minecraft Movie and bolstered by hits such as Sinners, the 20th anniversary re-release of Star Wars: Episode III, and numerous successful local productions. Impressively, 58 percent of the international box office (excluding China) that month originated in the EMEA region—a 25 percent increase over April 2024. May continued the momentum, featuring the releases of Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. In May EMEA was +19 percent above the same month last year, and recorded the best of the decade, +2 percent up on May 2023. In closing, the UNIC leaders offered warm congratulations to all award winners at CineEurope 2025.
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