An initiative of the EU MEDIA Programme with the support of the Italian Government Since 1992 MEDIA Salles has been promoting the European cinema and its circulation at theatrical level
	“European Cinema Yearbook – 2005 advance edition”

 

Milan, 27 December 2005 Dear friends, we have pleasure in informing you that the “European Cinema Yearbook – 2005 advance edition”, the first copies of which were distributed at the MEDIA Salles’ initiative Italian Cinema Worldwide in Beijing (13-15 December), will be presented tomorrow in Italy during a cocktail at the Festival Capri Hollywood 2005 28 December, 5 pm, at the Hotel La Palma, Sala Pagano, Via Vittorio Emanuele, 39 – Capri (Italy). In this edition, MEDIA Salles – an initiative of the European Union’s MEDIA Programme with the support of the Italian Government – has succeeded in reporting cinema-going over the 1989-2004 period in as many as 34 countries, thanks to the recent addition of Liechtenstein. The section on world markets has been broadened to include 12 territories: the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, South Korea, Russia, New Zealand and Israel have been joined by Argentina, Mexico and the Ukraine. The analysis of the situation in Europe has been deepened thanks to the inclusion of new tables documenting the presence of art-house cinemas and illustrating the trend in admissions month by month. The section specifically devoted to multiplexes operating in Europe has been updated to 1st January 2005 and the one dealing with digital cinema worldwide to June 2005. From the MEDIA Salles’ Yearbook it emerges that 2004 was an exceptionally good year: the 19 countries analysed in Western Europe recorded a 6% rise in admissions compared to 2003, whilst the 15 in Eastern and Central Europe and the Mediterranean Rim an impressive 15%. In all, there was a total of one billion and 75 million spectators. Another important data is the increase of screens equipped for digital screening (with DLP CinemaTM technology) which have reached 389 units worldwide as at June 2005, with an increase of 59% in twelve months. A summary of the contents of the Yearbook will be published on the MEDIA Salles’ website (www.mediasalles.it) on 29 December 2005. The cd rom of the “European Cinema Yearbook – 2005 advance edition”, produced with the support of Cinemeccanica, can be requested to the MEDIA Salles’ offices, by following the indications on the website. MEDIA Salles, a project operating within the framework of the European Union's MEDIA Programme, with the support of the Italian Government, fosters theatrical distribution of European audiovisual products, both by high profile campaigns involving Europe's cinema exhibitors and by initiatives to raise the visibility of European productions with industry players and potential audiences, creating specialized information channels on a global scale. Thus the current initiatives from MEDIA Salles dovetail in a program with a triple focus – training, promotion and information – and maximum combined effect. MEDIA Salles Via Soperga, 2 – I-20127 Milan Tel.: +39.02.66984405 – Fax: +39.02.6691574 E-mail: infocinema@mediasalles.it Website: www.mediasalles.it   <<