THE LITTLE WITCH was the most successful Swiss coproduction abroad in 2018
With approximately 1.8 million box office admissions, the German-Swiss film THE LITTLE WITCH (DIE KLEINE HEXE) by Swiss director Michael Schaerer and produced by Zodiac Pictures Ltd. with Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion GmbH in Munich, was the most successful Swiss coproduction abroad in 2018. As a whole, films with Swiss participation captured approximately 3.4 million viewers* on a world-wide scale last year.
04.02.2019
THE LITTLE WITCH garnered more than 1.5 million admissions in Germany alone and was nominated for the German Film Award as Best Children’s Film. Furthermore, the film was screened in cinemas in over 20 countries. The following Swiss coproductions with minority participation were also successful in cinemas in 2018: POPE FRANCIS – A MAN OF HIS WORD by Wim Wenders (coproduction: Célestes Images), which attracted some 740,000 viewers in Europe as well as in North and Latin America, among others; HAPPY AS LAZZARO by Alice Rohrwacher (coproduction: Amka Films Productions) tallied 250,000 admissions; and THE GUARDIANS by Xavier Beauvois (coproduction: Rita Productions) recorded 190,000.
On an international level, 66 different films with Swiss participation ran in cinemas in one or several countries in 2018. Generally speaking, neighbouring countries are the most important sales market for Swiss productions and coproductions – 73 of the total 200 theatrical exploitations abroad were in the four neighbouring countries: last year 26 films with Swiss participation were screened in cinemas in Germany, 21 in Italy, 14 in France, and 12 in Austria. Aside from the titles mentioned above, Denis Rabaglia’s comedy MY BELOVED ENEMY (Turnus Film) garnered 56,000 admissions in Italy. The documentary #FEMALE PLEASURE by Barbara Miller (Mons Veneris Films, Das Kollektiv für audiovisuelle Werke) was exceptionally successful in Germany with roughly 50,000 admissions; and some 37,000 viewers saw FORTUNA by Germinal Roaux (Vega Production) in France.
In contrast to the declining domestic market share, there was a significant increase in admissions worldwide for films with Swiss participation in 2018 (3.4 admissions) compared to the previous year (1.6 million admissions), mainly due to the successful coproductions with the figures approximating once again the peak years in 2015 and 2016.
*Source: Comscore, all figures during the 2018 time period, status on January 21, 2019; including attendance figures from countries reported to Comscore, excluding admissions in Switzerland.
SWISS FILMS, 4.2.2019