Spanish cinema recovers in 2022, with 75 million euros at the box office, but does not reach pre-pandemic values

In the absence of an end to the year, the amount raised by Spanish cinema is 74,192,887 million euros, although this data goes back to the beginning of December. This means that box office sales will increase at the end of the year, thanks, for example, to the announcement of films nominated for the Goya Awards, such as 'The Beasts', 'Alcarrás' or 'Model 77'.

It should also be taken into account that there are recently released films such as 'Vénus' by Jaume Balaguer, or 'A todo tren 2' by Santiago Segura, the director who grossed the highest box office of 2022 (15.6 million euros) and the largest number of viewers (2.7 million people) with 'Daddy, there's no more than one 3'.

In terms of viewers, 2022 also saw an increase, reaching 12.4 million viewers. A value higher than that of 2021, the year in which 5.8 million people were registered and the box office recorded 34.7 million euros, the lowest value since the beginning of the 21st century.

These data worsened those of 2020, as in the year of the pandemic there were a total of 43 million euros and 7.3 million viewers, a value that at that time was the worst record in the last two decades – and which was compensated thanks to the good play 'Dad there is only one 2'–.

That year, despite having started at a very good pace in the first two months, there were two months of confinement and strong restrictions on capacity, which damaged the box office.

The numbers for the last three years are still far from previous precedents, such as 2019, when 94.1 million euros and 16 million spectators were reached. While in 2018 the collection stood at 103.7 million euros, with the 'Champions' leading the ranking (19 million euros).

In turn, in 2017, a similar value was achieved, partly thanks to the boost of 'Tadeo Jones 2' (17.9 million euros). In fact, the box office record for Spanish cinema occurred in 2014 –125.7 million euros– with the effect of 'Eight Basque surnames' (56 million euros).

On the contrary, the lowest box office figures throughout this century are those of 2013, with 70.2 million euros; and those from the year 2000 itself, with 53.7 million euros, according to Cinematographic Statistics: Production, Exhibition, Distribution and Promotion of the Ministry of Culture and Sports consulted by Europa Press.

SANTIAGO SEGURA REPEATS AS THE BIGGEST RECIPE

Director Santiago Segura repeats in 2022 as the highest grossing film, although in this case for 'Father there is no more than one 3' –released in the summer–. In this way, it achieved these two recognitions for the fourth consecutive year.

After this title comes 'Tadeo Jones 3' with more than eleven million euros raised and more than 2 million spectators, released at the end of August. The third position is occupied by the thriller 'Los renglones torcidos de Dios', released in October, and which managed to surpass 5.5 million euros with almost 900 thousand spectators.

The films nominated for the Goya Award for best film have also recorded good numbers, with emphasis on 'Alcarrás', which ranks as the fifth highest-grossing film with almost 2.5 million euros and 390,477 spectators; followed on the list by 'The Beasts' with just over two million euros and almost 350,000 spectators; and 'Model 77' with two million euros and 385,428 people.

A SLOW RECOVERY

For FECE (Spanish Cinema Federation) the return to cinemas “is not happening as quickly” as the sector needs, said general director Luis Gil on November 17th.

«Public appreciation is important for the rooms to be filled. It is necessary to fight against the adversities that the sector is facing after the pandemic”, he admitted.

One of the industry's hopes is the future cinema law, as Gil recognized that it is a measure that can help to organize the sector “because there are aspects in which we all work together”.

“We hope it helps to bring order to the sector. One of the measures we defend is the window issue, I think we will have to talk to the entire industry and for the administration to coordinate these works. Another of our demands is that the screen quota be eliminated even though there is no homogeneity of criteria in the sector”, he explained.