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MOSCOW (Russian Film Business Today) — In the period from November 29, 2007 to November 30, 2008 (the entire 2008 box office year), total CIS box office was $830 million (not counting grosses in Ukraine). This is 46.9% higher than the figure for the 2007 box office year, when grosses reached $565 million. In 2008 box office year, CIS citizens (not including Ukrainians) bought 123,891,658 admissions, which is 16.2% more than the figure for the 2007 box office year, when 106,603,774 were bought. For the second time in the history of CIS box office, more than 100 million admissions were sold. The average ticket price in 2008 was $6.7. In 2007, it was $5.3. Accordingly, in dollar terms, the average ticket price increased 26.4%.
In 2008 CIS box office year, 355 films were released, 111 of which were in limited release of no more than 30 screens. For the second time in CIS box office, the number of films in limited release exceeded 100. The
$1 million hurdle was cleared by 136 films in the year, which is an absolute record for CIS box office. In the 2007 box office year, there were 109 such films. Fourteen blockbusters earned more than $10 million, while in 2007, there were 13 such films and only five in 2006.
Fourteen distributors grossed more than $1 million each, which is the same number of distributors that achieved this result in 2007, while in 2006, there were 12. In 2008, 12 distributors earned more than $10 million each, while in 2007, there were 11 such distributors and seven in 2006. Five distributors grossed more than $50 million in 2008, the same number as in 2007, while in 2006 there were only three. The 14 leading distributors grossed a total of $825.4 million (99.4% of total box office), while the rest of distributors put only a total of $4.6 million (0.6%) into their piggybanks. For the first time in CIS history, four distributors managed to gross more than $100 million, while one of them (UPI) grossed more than $200 million!
The top distributor (24.5%) in the CIS in the 2008 box office year was UPI, which grossed $203.5 million. This is 112% more than the company grossed in 2007 ($96 million, also top distributor that year). Its highest grossing film was Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa ($40.78 million), which was also the highest grossing film ever for UPI. It was also the highest grossing foreign film and the highest grossing animated film ever in CIS box office history.
In second place (18.7%) was 20th Century Fox CIS, which grossed $154.9 million in 2008. This is 94.2% more than it grossed in 2007 ($79.75 million, fifth place of that year's chart). This distributor's highest grossing film was The Irony of Fate: The Sequel ($49.92 million, given a production budget of $5 million), which became the highest grossing film in the distributor's history, the highest grossing Russian film in CIS box office history and the highest grossing film in CIS box office history, period.
Rounding out the top three was Caro Premier / Caroprokat (15.2%), which grossed $126.1 million. This is 36.2% more than the distributor grossed in 2007 ($92.55 million and second place in that year's chart). The distributor's highest grossing film in 2008 was the parody comedy The Very Best Film ($27.59 million, given a production budget of $2.2 million), which set an absolute record for best opening weekend in CIS box office history ($16,484,460 in its first four days from 702 screens).
In fourth place (14.6%), was BVSPR with a result of $121.2 million. This is 44.4% more than the company grossed in 2007 ($83.95 million, same place in that year's chart). Its highest grossing film in 2008 was the comedy Hancock ($25.98 million).
Next came Central Partnership / CP Classic (7.8%), which grossed $64.6 million. This is 24.1% less than in 2007 ($85.1 million, third place in that year's chart). This distributor's highest grosser was the parody comedy Hitler Kaput! ($9.71 million, with a budget of $3 million).
Sixth place (4.3%) went to Paradise with $35.6 million, which is 6.9% more than its gross for 2007 ($33.3 million, same place in that year's chart). Paradise's highest grossing film in 2008 was the dramedy Platon ($5.13 million, with a budget of $3.2 million).
West managed to wrest seventh place (3.0%), having grossed $24.9 million, which is 3.8% more than in 2007 ($24 million, same place in that year's chart). It scored biggest with the sci-fi actioner Babylon A. D. ($5.71 million).
Next came Cascade (2.8%), with a total gross of $23.3 million, which is 14.5% more than in 2007 ($20.35 million, eighth place in that year's chart). Its biggest cash cow in 2008 was the Belgian animated film Fly Me to the Moon 3D ($3.56 million).
Taking up ninth place was Top Film / Art Film (2.5%), which grossed $20.5 million. Its highest grosser was the De Niro-Pacino vehicle Righteous Kill ($3.60 million).
Rounding out the top ten distributors was Nashe Kino (2.3%) with a gross of $19.2 million, which is 27.6% more than its take in 2007 ($15.05 million, ninth place in that year's chart). Its highest grossing film was the animated fairy tale comedy Ilya Muromets and Solovey-Razboynik ($9.74 million, with a production budget of $2 million).
Next came Luxor (1.8%) with $15 million, which is 100% more than it grossed in 2007 ($7.5 million — 12th place in that year's chart). Its highest grossing release of 2008 and ever was the British comedy How to Lose Friends & Alienate People ($2.93 million).
Pyramid was in 12th place (1.6%) with $13.5 million, which is 27.3% more than it grossed in 2007 ($10.6 million — 11th place in that year's chart). The highest grossing film in 2008 of this now defunct distributor was the animated sci-fi comedy Space Chimps ($2.55 million).
The leader in limited release in 2008 was the melodrama My Blueberry Nights (CP Classic), which grossed $532,323 from 10 screens.
The grosses of the 78 Russian films (including co-productions with other countries) totaled $211.5 million (25.5% of total CIS box office in 2008), which is 42.4% more than in 2007 ($148.5 million). Nevertheless, it should be noted that in the last 12 years (1997-2008), out of 550 Russian films distributed, 15 films with support from the major television channels made a solid profit, five made a slight profit and the remain 530 flopped in theatrical distribution! At the same time, there were 500 other films made during these years which were not distributed theatrically at all.
In 2009 Russia could very well clear the magical $1 billion hurdle! |
