Arthouse vs mainstream films in cinemas in France 2010-2023

Between 2010 and 2023, the number of arthouse movie screened in theaters in France increased from 4,002 to over 5,100 movies. However, other movie categories have also become more present - at an even faster growth - in French movie theaters during that time: from less than 2,000 up to more than 4,100 movies in 2023.  

Arthouse movie theaters in France

  In France, movie theaters can be labeled “Art et Essai”, which includes them in the category of arthouse cinemas. These movie theaters are destined to promote independent movie productions and can be subsidized. Since 2014, arthouse movie theaters welcomed over 60 million spectators yearly, and even more than 70 million in 2019, which represents about a third of the total cinema entries for that same year. The audience of arthouse cinemas appears to be mainly composed of spectators aged 50 years or older, although almost a fifth of movie goers at arthouse theaters were aged between 15 and 24.  

Cinema outings in France

 Even if going to the movies appears to be a rather popular cultural outing in France, it still represents a budget for the spectators. In 2022, the overall average ticket price in French cinemas amounted to about 7.20 euros, an increase of more than 80 cents since 2014. In comparison, the average revenue per entry in arthouse cinemas was of 5.83 euros the same year.