Madeira’s Cinemas See Dramatic 37% Decline in Audience Numbers
In the second quarter of 2024, the number of cinema sessions and audience attendance in Madeira experienced a hefty decline compared to the same period in 2023. According to provisional data from the Instituto do Cinema e Audiovisual (ICA), Madeira recorded 3,334 cinema sessions, reflecting a significant decrease of 7.5% year-on-year. Audience numbers showed a sharp decline, with only 38,275 viewers attending screenings in this period. This marks a significant 37.7% drop compared to the same quarter last year.
Revenue Declines Alongside Attendance
The downturn in attendance was accompanied by a substantial decrease in box office revenues. The figures reveal that cinema ticket sales in Madeira generated approximately €219,800 in the second quarter of 2024, down 34.5% from the same period in the previous year. When considering cumulative data for the first half of 2024, the trends remain consistent. A total of 6,729 cinema sessions were held in Madeira, attracting 80,529 spectators and generating €469,900 in revenue. These figures represent declines of 1.9% in sessions, 17.7% in audience numbers, and 14.2% in revenue compared to the first half of 2023.
Uninspiring and Repetitive Screenings
Are you into watching any of those newly released movies?
Congrats, as you can do so both in Cinemas NOS Forum Madeira and Cineplace Madeira Shopping, the two main cinemas in Madeira. Both movie theaters frequently show the same films. With attendance dropping by 37% and moviegoers having the option to choose their cinema, there's a strong chance you might even find yourself with the entire cinema to yourself. Some might find that intriguing, while others might just be happy to have an unobstructed view of the screen, which is most definitely guaranteed.
The thing is, most of these movies are box office hits that fail to engage cinema enthusiasts, and it does not make much sense to use Madeira’s underutilized cinema infrastructure to screen the same films in different locations.
Madeiras Cinemas Need to Become More Creative!
Both Cinemas NOS Forum Madeira and Cineplace Madeira Shopping are not known for showing independent films, as they predominantly feature mainstream Hollywood screenings from major studios, with little to no representation of arthouse or indie flicks. Furthermore, they show the same movies at both cinemas, leading to a lack of diversity and making the overall program feel repetitive and uninspiring.
While Madeira is a small island, there's a clear and obvious need for more creative programming. Introducing a broader range of films could attract different audiences and bring fresh energy to people going to attend these screenings. It's big time for both cinemas to consider new steps, change programs or hire a creative director who has the authority to revitalize their offerings and provide more valuable viewing experiences. Bring Variety to Madeira's Cinemas!
Source: DREM
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