Independent cinema operators are cautiously optimistic about the road ahead as they push forward with their SCREEN Fund applications.
Over six months after local cinemas were first forced to close due to the arrival of COVID-19 in Australia, exhibition is still in the throes of a protracted crisis - but perhaps not in the ways that some might have anticipated, writes Cinema Nova CEO Kristian Connelly.
In a remarkable result, four Australian films - 'The Dry', 'Penguin Bloom', 'High Ground' and 'Occupation: Rainfall' - took home almost 50 per cent of the national box office last weekend.
Coming off an all-time industry record in 2016, the Australian theatrical market lost a bit of momentum in 2017 – a cyclical downturn which does not worry distributors or exhibitors.
The theatrical success of 'Barbie', 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' and 'Oppenheimer' helped propel the Australian box office to its best year since the pandemic in 2023, though it still trailed pre-2019 levels.
The records smashed by doco 'John Farnham: Finding the Voice' have proven that Australians will still come out in numbers to see local stories on the big screen, and there is significant optimism among exhibitors about the commercial potential of 'Force of Nature: The Dry 2'. However, broadly the year so far has been a very slow one for Australian films at the box office.
Marvel blockbuster 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' delivered exhibitors a box office boost last weekend, with its opening weekend the most successful in the 'Ant-Man' franchise so far.
Australia's love affair with the Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell rom-com 'Anyone But You' continues, with the film topping the box office once again over the long weekend, easily beating out 'Wonka' and Bollywood action thriller 'Fighter'.