Fast start for Italo B.O.
Local pix draw auds as admissions rise
According to national B.O. monitoring service Cinetel, admissions in the key cities rose by 4.6% and receipts by 6.1% this season, which runs from September through late June.
The most substantial increase was registered in the January-April period this year, when the successful state-sponsored cut-price ticket promotion was introduced at weekday afternoon sessions. Admissions and grosses both climbed by 8.8%.
The market share for Italian productions and co-productions also showed a significant hike, increasing from 24% to 26.6%. During the January-April period, the Italian share swelled to over 30%, due largely to the performance of powerhouse comedy "The Cyclone."
Up to mid-June, a total of 293 films had been released in Italy this season, 71 of which were Italian productions or co-productions involving Italy. The 142 U.S. titles released account for 56.7% of national admissions.
