Italian Summer Box Office Hits Record 90 Million Euros

The summer of 2023 set new box office records in Italy, with 13 million admissions and €90 million in revenue between June 11 and August 27, according to Cinetel data presented at the 80th Venice International Film Festival by Undersecretary of Culture Lucia Borgonzoni. Compared to 2019, attendance rose 13.6% and revenue 21.8%; versus the 2017-2019 average, attendance jumped 40% and revenue 52.8%. July 2023 was the best July since 2011. The success was driven by blockbusters 'Barbie' (Warner Bros.' most profitable film ever) and 'Oppenheimer', as well as the 'Cinema Revolution' initiative by the Ministry of Culture and Cinecittà, which capped ticket prices at €3.50. 'Barbie' had Italy's third-best European debut (€7.7 million), behind France (€8.4 million); 'Oppenheimer' had the second-best European debut (€8.9 million) after UK/Ireland, surpassing France (€6 million), Germany (€5.9 million), and Spain (€2.7 million). The government allocated €20 million to the initiative. Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini praised the record, noting 10,000 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs in the sector. Francesco Rutelli, president of ANICA, highlighted that the second four-month period matched the first for the first time. Borgonzoni announced a new edition of 'Cinema Revolution' for summer 2024, with increased focus on Italian cinema. The initiative runs until the third week of September 2023.