Film Industry in Saxony Exhibits Resilience Amidst National Decline
The cinema landscape in Saxony has demonstrated resilience in the face of industry-wide challenges. While ticket sales in the federal state experienced a modest decline, the drop was less pronounced compared to the national average.
Ticket Sales and Revenue
Last year, cinemas in Saxony sold approximately 4.3 million tickets, reflecting a 1.8% decrease from the previous year. This decline was significantly lower than the 5.8% drop reported nationwide.
The revenue generated by Saxon cinemas also saw a marginal decrease of 1.4%, totaling just under 40.4 million euros. This is in contrast to the 0.8% decline observed in the average ticket price across Germany. In Saxony, the average ticket price increased slightly by 0.4% to 9.40 euros.
Cinema Infrastructure
The number of cinemas in Saxony saw a slight increase of one, reaching a total of 95. However, the number of cinema screens and projection canvases decreased by six, resulting in a total of 242.
National Trends
At the national level, cinema ticket sales reached approximately 90.1 million, representing a 2024 decline of 5.8%. The industry’s revenue dropped to around 868.4 million euros, significantly lower than the 929.1 million euros recorded in 2023.
Popular Film Genres
Children’s films emerged as the most popular genre in 2024, with six of the top ten films catering to younger audiences. According to Norina Lin-Hi, the FFA’s team leader for market research and statistics, children’s films have consistently performed well, but their dominance in 2024 was particularly notable.
Top-Grossing Films
The most popular film in German cinemas was "Inside Out 2," the animated sequel, which sold over 5.7 million tickets. "Despicable Me 4" followed closely behind with over 4.3 million tickets. "Vaiana 2," another children’s film, took the third spot with approximately 3.6 million visitors. Only two German productions, "Chantal im Märchenland" and "Die Schule der magischen Tiere 3," made it into the top ten.
Industry Outlook
FFA Executive Board Member Peter Dinges described the decline in ticket sales as "moderate." He attributed the downturn to factors such as the UEFA European Championship, the Olympic Games, and the impact of Hollywood strikes.
Despite the challenges, Dinges expressed optimism about the future of the industry, stating that the sector could look back on 2024 with satisfaction.
