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Domestic hits deliver box office highs as Spanish cinema booms

Spanish films snagged a domestic market share of nearly 20 percent this year, one of its best home-turf results, with five movies drawing over a million viewers, the country's main film producers lobby said Tuesday.

Domestic hits deliver box office highs as Spanish cinema booms

“Spanish cinema has reconnected with the public. Our productions are achieving historic shares in recent years thanks to the joint effort of all sectors, including television stations,” the head of the Federation of Audiovisual Producers (FAPAE), Ramon Colon, said.

“There are more films. There is not just one big movie, there are several movies that have surpassed a million viewers. That is very important, you don't depend on just one big success.”

Films made in Spain earned over €100 million ($109 million) and punched a 18.9 percent domestic market share through December 20th, the group said.

That slice of Spain's total box office cake will likely rise a notch to surpass 19 percent by the end of the year as several Spanish films are still scheduled to open, the group added.

It is the third best domestic share after 2012 when it reached 19.5 percent, and last year when it hit a record 25.5 percent, thanks in part to the surprise hit “Spanish Affair”, a romantic comedy about a slick-haired young man from southern Spain and his feisty Basque girlfriend.

The movie was not only the highest grossing film of 2014, but the all-time highest grossing Spanish film ever, having taken in over €55 million in ticket sales.

The sequel to “Spanish Affair” is the highest grossing film in Spain this year, with 4.5 million viewers so far and the third highest-grossing film ever.

In total five Spanish films drew over one million viewers in 2015 and are among the 20 highest-grossing films of the year, FAPAE said.   

As in other European nations, the popularity of Hollywood blockbusters has edged out domestic films from theatres in Spain.   

But in recent years Spanish filmmakers have churned out a wider range of films and sought to appeal to more mainstream audiences.   

They also teamed up with local television broadcasters who can flex their marketing muscle to promote films they co-produce, resulting in bigger audiences.

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FILM

French films with English subtitles to watch in November

As days get shorter and temperatures drop, November is a great month to enjoy a warm and comforting moment at the cinema. Here’s a round up of the French movies with English subtitles to see in Paris this month.

Cinema in France
Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

The cinema group Lost in Frenchlation runs regular screenings of French films in the capital, with English subtitles to help non-native speakers follow the action. The club kicks off every screening with drinks at the cinema’s bar one hour before the movie, so it’s also a fun way to meet people if you’re new to Paris.

These are the events they have coming up in November.

Friday, November 5th

Boîte Noire – What happened on board the Dubai-Paris flight before it crashed in the Alps? In this thriller Matthieu, a young and talented black box analyst played by Pierre Niney (star of Yves Saint-Laurent among other movies) is determined to solve the reason behind this deadly crash, no matter the costs. 

The screening will take place at the Club de l’étoile cinema at 8pm. But you can arrive early for drinks at the bar from 7pm. 

Tickets are €10 full price, €8 for students and all other concessions, and can be reserved here.

Sunday, November 14th

Tralala – In the mood for music? This new delightful French musical brings you into the life of Tralala (played by Mathieu Amalric), a 48 years old, homeless and worn-out street singer, who one day gets mistaken for someone else. Tralala sees an opportunity to get a better life by taking on a new personality. He now has a brother, nephews, ex-girlfriends, and maybe even a daughter. But where is the lie? Where is the truth? And who is he, deep down?

The night will start with drinks from 6pm followed by the screening at 7pm at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema. There is also a two-hour cinema-themed walk where you’ll be taken on a “musicals movie tour” in the heart of Paris, which begins at 4pm.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here. Tickets for the walking tour cost €20 and must be reserved online here.

Thursday, November 18th

Illusions Perdues – Based on the great novel series by Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843, this historical drama captures the writer Lucien’s life and dilemmas who dreams about a great career of writing and moves to the city to get a job at a newspaper. As a young poet entering the field of journalism, he is constantly challenged by his desire to write dramatic and eye-catching stories for the press. But are they all true?

The evening will kick off with drinks at L’Entrepôt cinema bar at 7pm, followed by the movie screening at 8pm. Tickets are available online here, and cost €8.50 full price; €7 for students and all other concessions.

Sunday, November 21st

Eiffel – Having just finished working on the Statue of Liberty, Gustave Eiffel (played by Romain Duris) is tasked with creating a spectacular monument for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. It’s ultimately his love story with Adrienne Bourgès (Emma Mackey) that will inspire him to come up with the idea for the Eiffel Tower.

After a first screening last month, Lost in Frenchlation is organising a new one at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema, with pre-screening drinks at the cinema bar. 

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here

Thursday, November 25th

Les Héroïques – Michel is a former junkie and overgrown child who only dreams of motorbikes and of hanging out with his 17-year-old son Léo and his friends. But at 50 years old, he now has to handle the baby he just had with his ex, and try not to make the same mistakes he has done in the past. 

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director Maxime Roy who will discuss his very first feature. 

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Full details of Lost in Frenchlation’s events can be found on their website or Facebook page. In France, a health pass is required in order to go to the cinema.

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