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Despite hot weather and the World Cup, Teuton auds flock to home-grown fare
German films have continued to perform strongly at the box office this year despite record high temperatures over the summer, usually a death knell for local cinemas, and not to mention World Cup soccer, which kept many potential moviegoers at home or in sports bars across the country.
Local pics have benefitted from a strong mix of comedy, children's fare and drama. German productions accounted for some 11.3 million admissions in the first half of the year, compared with 10.6 million in the first six months of 2017, resulting in a 22.4% market share, up from 18.2%.
"German films have been able to increase both their revenue and market share in a difficult market environment, which is already a special achievement," Peter Dinges, CEO of the German Federal Film Board (FFA), tells Variety. "And with some high-profile movie launches in the second half of the year, I am extremely confident that this trend will continue until the end of the year."
The top German performers in the first half of the year included...